What We Both Need by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem What We Both Need that begins with:

You anger me when I see you in despair.
Because I know that is not where you wish to be....

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: ABCDEF bXgXbhg ieXjXXXj ABCDEFXgdaih
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,7,8,12,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11011111001 011110111100 110101101 1111110 001010 111011101110 01011101 1011111100 11101 01011 1011010011 111001 11101101 111 01011110 111011 01100011 11111 010111 1111010 1100010011 11011111001 011110111100 110101101 1111110 001010 111011101110 11 111101 11 1111 01001111
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 197
  • Average number of words per stanza: 40
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6

  • 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; you, to, i are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of What We Both Need;
  • 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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