This is an analysis of the poem When De Folks Is Gone that begins with:

What dat scratchin' at de kitchin do'?
Done heah'n dat foh an hour er mo'!... 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: XXXa XXaa XXbb XXaa XXcc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 111010101 111111001 1110101111 110101010101 11110111 11010110101 11010110111 1110101010111 111010111 11111111101 10101110101 11110110101 11110111 11111111 11010111111 1110110101 1111110111 11110111 111010111 110110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 174
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; de, an' are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words an', what are repeated.

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

  • summary of When De Folks Is Gone;
  • 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