This is an analysis of the poem Obvious But Absent that begins with:

They carry Bibles and yet lie.
Quote scriptures, ...

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: XababbcX bbdXcda
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,7,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: rondeau
  • Metre: 11010111 110 11101 110110 1001011 10101000 00101101 10100110 11011110 101001100 001101100 11100111001 00101 0011010 1010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 230
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 15
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    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; and is repeated.

    The author used the same word they 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 Obvious But Absent;
  • 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