This is an analysis of the poem Claiming To Be Dumbfounded that begins with:

One doesn't have to be a racist,
To know or experience the effects of racism....

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: abaXa XacXde dX aeafba f Xc XX dX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,6,2,6,1,2,2,2,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: enclosed rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 110100010 01101000010110 111100010 01101101001 110100 101000100 0101100 1011110101010 11101010 1011011111 1111101 111011 010010110 111 110111001101 110100101 1101010111 111001001001 111100001000010000 111101111 110101011011 1111010011100 110101101 11100101100 111101101101001 0110101010110010
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 133
  • Average number of words per stanza: 26
  • Amount of lines: 26
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

  • summary of Claiming To Be Dumbfounded;
  • 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