This is an analysis of the poem If We Are Not Here To Give And Receive that begins with:

If we are not here to give and receive...
Why are we blessed with arms to reach....

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: AXXb bcXbde AabfccX cfdfdXfeXXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,6,7,11,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0111101101 11110101 11010 11101 11110111 0101 01111 0100111 011101 1010111101 0111101101 1001 101111 1111011001 11010001 1101 101101100 11110111 01001100 00111110 111001100 010010010 010001 1100010100 010010 110101001 010 00101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 210
  • Average number of words per stanza: 38
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (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, we, and are 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 If We Are Not Here To Give And Receive;
  • 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