This is an analysis of the poem I Smoke My Pipe that begins with:

I can't extend to every friend
In need a helping hand--... full text

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: aaXaXbXb XcdcebdB abfbabfB dcgcgbXB dgegXbXB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 110101001 010101 11011101 111101 11011101 1101001 11011111 111111 01010101 111101 111101001 011111 01010101 110101 01010101 111111 10010111 110101 01010101 010101 11011101 010101 01111101 111111 01010101 111101 11010111 010011 11110101 110111 11111111 111111 11010101 110101 110010101 111111 11010111 110111 01011101 111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 236
  • Average number of words per stanza: 47
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i, so are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word and is repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word pipe at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of I Smoke My Pipe;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by James Whitcomb Riley