How Long Do You Think It Will Take Them? by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem How Long Do You Think It Will Take Them? that begins with:

In denial?
Here......

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 XX cdeffeddg X h X fbg hc iffahX icXhXhcdg
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,2,9,1,1,1,3,2,6,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0010 1 11 1 110111 010100 010101 111110 1010 11010100 1010010 11001010 11 11 1111100101 11 11111 110100 11 101 111100100001 01100010 11110110 110101010110 1 1 1010101101 111001 1110 11101 0111011 10110001011 0100101 1110010 11110 01010 0110
  • Amount of stanzas: 10
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 87
  • Average number of words per stanza: 16
  • Amount of lines: 37
  • Average number of symbols per line: 23 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 4

  • 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; you is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of How Long Do You Think It Will Take Them?;
  • 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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