This is an analysis of the poem If You Don'T Know What You Want that begins with:

How long have you been doing this?
'What time is it? '...

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: a X bc deXccbfX X bfX b XdX X X X aeX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,1,2,8,1,3,1,3,1,1,1,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110100 11001 1 1100 1100 1110101 111 11011 10 1 1110101 110111 1111010110010 1100 1110011101 10111011 1011101 111010 1011011001 0111111 1110110 101101001 11110011 1111001 111 1111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 12
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 54
  • Average number of words per stanza: 11
  • Amount of lines: 26
  • 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.

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

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; to, you are repeated.

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

  • summary of If You Don'T Know What You Want;
  • 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