This is an analysis of the poem Laws Xiii that begins with:

Then a lawyer said, "But what of our Laws, master?"
And he answered: ...

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: X X a X X b c X a d a a d a X a a e c d b a e X
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 10101101011100 1110 10101011 110110100 11010101011110010011010010 11111110010111001 111010010101 10001011100100 110101101110111111110 101100110101001111001110 100101110 10011101110111001011101 1001101101011111010110 1011110001011110111010110111100101110110 1111011111100111011001 11101111111111 11001001010011 11000010011011111110101 1111100111001101111 1110001110010111 1111110111110111101 111110111100111101 1101111101001111101100111 100100111001111100100111101011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 24
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 78
  • Average number of words per stanza: 15
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 79 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 15
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; ocean, with, sand, you, and, of, what, their, all, but, to, man's, no, if are repeated.

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

    The author used the same words but, what, and at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase you connects the lines.

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

  • summary of Laws Xiii;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Khalil Gibran