Playing Possum (Give Me Reason) by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Playing Possum (Give Me Reason) that begins with:

Do you gossip.
Playing possum all day long....

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: AB cDEC FfXgfhhXb X AB IjgigIXaX AB jaX jaa X FCDEC jacX X fCDECX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,4,9,1,2,9,2,3,3,1,5,4,1,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1110 1010111 100111 0110 11 0111 1110 011101001 1111 0101 10011 11110 11011 11011 1101 101 1110 1010111 11 101 111 111 1010111 11 01010101 111110 1110 1110 1010111 111011101 10110 1010100 11 11110 01011101 100001000 1110 111111 0110 11 0111 111110111 1100110101 10101011101 11 1 1110 111111 0110 11 0111 01001010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 14
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 81
  • Average number of words per stanza: 16
  • Amount of lines: 52
  • Average number of symbols per line: 21 (very short strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 4

  • 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; to, you are repeated.

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

  • summary of Playing Possum (Give Me Reason);
  • 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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