This is an analysis of the poem Better Choices that begins with:

Why be around stuff that collects dust,
Just to rust! ...

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: AAAbCbADD AAAbCbADD XDeaa bCbADD FDfeeadcaFD
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,9,5,6,11,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 100111011 101 1100001101 1 110101011 1 1101001 0101010001 1010 100111011 101 1100001101 1 110101011 1 1101001 0101010001 1010 1010110011111 1010 101011111111 010111001 0011101 1 110101011 1 1101001 0101010001 1010 11100101 1010 111100101 1101 111001 100111011 111001011010 1110101011 11101001 11100101 1010
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 220
  • Average number of words per stanza: 39
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 27 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • 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; they, why, can't, people are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word why at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word choices 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 Better Choices;
  • 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