Playing Dodge Ball As If Children by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Playing Dodge Ball As If Children that begins with:

I fought petty wars for you.
Wars you never knew, ...

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: aaababacXaXddcaeXXdXbeX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 23,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1110111 11101 11101 110001 111011 1110101 01010111 111101001010 1111110 1010011101 10101 01010101101 1101 11100110 001101011 11111110001 10111010 10110110111 0010100 01001111 00010010 1110101 1011010010
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 755
  • Average number of words per stanza: 142
  • Amount of lines: 23
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; you, to are repeated.

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

  • summary of Playing Dodge Ball As If Children;
  • 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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