This is an analysis of the poem Didn'T We Do This Once Before? that begins with:

Didn't we do this once before?
Say those things, ...

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: Abcdda AdeeedXea aaXfgX ccfedeA gbAeedddd Xhh gX i XX i XX A XdX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,9,6,7,9,3,2,1,2,1,2,1,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 10110101 111 1011 10001010 01111100 00101011101 10110101 111 1110101 10101 010111 0101 010100101 101110 01 10111001 0100010001 1110100 0100010 1110101 111111 1011111101 10101010101 110001110 10110101 01011111 111110101 10110101 11010010 101000101 10110101 111010 101111101100 110100101010 110 010101 11010011100 0110100 11110101 00101110101 11 0101011101 111 1 011 100001 1 11 10110101 1 11 011
  • Amount of stanzas: 13
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 108
  • Average number of words per stanza: 20
  • Amount of lines: 52
  • Average number of symbols per line: 26 (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.

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

    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; we, to, you are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word didn't 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 before is repeated).

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

  • summary of Didn'T We Do This Once Before?;
  • 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