This is an analysis of the poem Lessons Can Be Learned that begins with:

Once I've been pushed to the edge...
With my back up against the wall, ...

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: XabacdXcac edfabfg bfgcccXh cgcc cdigXXjjieXc ghX fgXfga
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 10,7,8,4,12,3,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101001 01110101 1010101 111111 111110 101111010 001010 01010101 1 1101011 1110101 100 111001 101000111 11011011 1101 010011 11010010 10010010101 101 10101 1011010 1101 10101101 111 110110001 101 101 00101 0111101 0010010 11010011 01001011 1 111001 01001001100100 1001010100 11 1111010101 1111 01010 10110110111 01101011111 1001111 11111101 0110011100 11111 111111 011111 1111
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 196
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 50
  • Average number of symbols per line: 27 (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.

    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; can, be, to are repeated.

    The author used the same word and 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 Lessons Can Be Learned;
  • 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