Can 'I' Say by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Can 'I' Say that begins with:

That those of my generation...
Have made a better way, ...

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: ABbCCDE BddBaafgggX BFBDBHBDBIX BFBDBHBDBIX BABbCCDE BJGb BJGbXBJGb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,11,11,11,8,4,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11011010 110101 01 001101 0100011101 0010011 101010010 111 1111001 111 111 1111 1101110101 11110 10001101 00100100101 100110010 1010101100010 111 01 111 01001 111 001 111 10101001 111 00100 1010101111 111 01 111 01001 111 001 111 10101001 111 00100 1010101111 111 11011010 110101 01 001101 0100011101 0010011 101010010 111 1011 101 01 111 1011 101 01 111 1011 101 01
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 164
  • Average number of words per stanza: 31
  • Amount of lines: 60
  • Average number of symbols per line: 21 (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; to is repeated.

    The author used the same word can 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' Say;
  • 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

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