This is an analysis of the poem Be Tough! that begins with:

Don't pick up any rocks...
To thrown them....

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: ABC ADE EDAEFEE eXgXG GCG XGXG XGXGG GCG EDAEFEE ADE ABCe XGXGG GXGXGGXGCG
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,7,5,3,4,5,3,7,3,4,5,10,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111101 010 101 1111101 010111 01010 001 11101 0101 001 11111 110010 0101010 1 1100111 101 101000 101 11100111101 1100 101 1110111010 01 1110001100 01 1110111010 01 1110001100 01 01 11100111101 1100 101 001 11101 0101 001 11111 110010 0101010 1111101 010111 01010 111101 010 101 1101 1110111010 01 1110001100 01 01 01 1110111010 01 1110001100 01 01 11100111101 1100 101
  • Amount of stanzas: 14
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 100
  • Average number of words per stanza: 19
  • Amount of lines: 61
  • Average number of symbols per line: 22 (very short strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • 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.

    There are many three dots in the poem. Readers should think of the author's idea together with the pensive speaker.

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

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

    The author used the same words don't, and, you at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines tough is repeated).

    The poet repeated the same word tough 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 Be Tough!;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Lawrence S. Pertillar