This is an analysis of the poem How Much Is Needed that begins with:

Most folks wait too late...
As if they have time to borrow, ...

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: abcbdeea fadea dcXghaeha hhf XX eXg
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,5,9,3,2,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11111 10111011 01 11101011 1101001101 010110010 10001 1011010 100011011 11 0111011101 001 1001011 110110 01010111 1111010 100100001001 10101 101 1100110 1101010 1111 1111010 00101 01010011 111110 11111001 11010 011101 001011
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 135
  • Average number of words per stanza: 25
  • Amount of lines: 30
  • 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 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 poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word to is repeated.

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

  • summary of How Much Is Needed;
  • 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