Less Tongue by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Less Tongue that begins with:

Isn't always a 'they' involved?
A group of nameless faces....

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: abXXbb aXccXXdbd aXeeX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,9,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 00110101 0101010 111001 00111 11 001010100 000110101 10110001 1101011 111001011 111001 010110100 101001000 10101100010 100 100110101 10010 110001110001 001101010110 00111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 201
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • 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:

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

    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 is repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word with is repeated.

    The author used the same word isn't at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

  • summary of Less Tongue;
  • 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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