Impersonal Questions by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Impersonal Questions that begins with:

I don't know exactly how you feel.
Or the depths of how you are affected....

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: ABcbd X ee XbX d X f X aghce fX ABceg dX XXfdc XX caXech
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,1,2,3,1,1,1,1,5,2,5,2,5,2,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111010111 1010111010 1 0111 1101101100010 10001 1 011010010110 1 101 1 1111 11 1001001010110 111110 1 1 101111001 00010101100 1110110010 11 1101100111 111010111 1010111010 1 01111100 1111111011 1111 11111 11 11101101010 1110010111101 01111001 111001 1 11111 00111011 1111001010 01000111010 001010110100 1111101 01011100011
  • Amount of stanzas: 15
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 75
  • Average number of words per stanza: 16
  • Amount of lines: 42
  • Average number of symbols per line: 26 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6

  • Mood of the speaker:

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

  • 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 i is repeated.

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

  • summary of Impersonal Questions;
  • 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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