This is an analysis of the poem How Can I Do That...? that begins with:

I must show no love has been lost.
I must conceal a fragmented heart....

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: AAAA XXb XAbbb AAAAXaa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,3,5,7,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11111101 110101001 11 1111 111111010 11101 10111 11011100100 11 10 101010111 1011110111 11111101 110101001 11 1111 111111 111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 92
  • Average number of words per stanza: 19
  • Amount of lines: 18
  • Average number of symbols per line: 25 (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; i, must are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word i 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 How Can I Do That...?;
  • 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