This is an analysis of the poem Laying It On The Line that begins with:

Laying it on the line.
Time is too precious not to! ...

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: abacaccdde fgXegXahfibhg aigiXiagiccX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 10,13,12,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 100101 1011010 111 100100 110001 101010010 101010 1011001 01011 11100111 010011011110 101101 1101100101 11100111 1010110111 10111001010101 1110 1110 111010100100 1011101 1000101 10100100 1110101 001010101 10001 10110010 01011101100 011 1111 111110101 01011101 11111 101101011110 100110111 1010100111010
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 366
  • Average number of words per stanza: 67
  • Amount of lines: 35
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • 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.

    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; it, for, to are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words for, to are repeated.

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

  • summary of Laying It On The Line;
  • 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