This is an analysis of the poem Can I Get A Witness? that begins with:

If people are not reading...
That does not mean, ...

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 adcb ccbcXceebe FXgehXiX he FX Xd GX a hX d IX JJjjXJ FXJ GXJ hXJ IX JJjjX JJjjX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,4,10,8,2,2,2,2,1,2,1,2,6,3,3,3,2,5,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101110 1111 010100110 011110 001 111101 00110001 11010001011 11111 111001110010 1010101 0101001 1001100101 11010101 010111110 100010 01101 1111 1111010 1101 01111 11101 111110 11011 111001 1110010 01101 1111 11110101 11 1001 1101 011111 1010110 1101 111110 111010 11011 111001 11 11 1 1 1 11111 1111 1111010 11111 1101 01111 11111 11101 111110 11111 11011 111001 11 11 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1
  • Amount of stanzas: 19
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 77
  • Average number of words per stanza: 14
  • Amount of lines: 66
  • Average number of symbols per line: 22 (very short strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • Mood of the speaker:

    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; not, dah, boo, hoo are repeated.

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

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

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

  • summary of Can I Get A Witness?;
  • 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