Where Were You When That Happened? by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Where Were You When That Happened? that begins with:

It has already been tried.
Whatever it is you think you do....

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: ABCCdE AXa XdcX ABCCdE db ecaaXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,3,4,6,2,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101001 110001111 1011 010111 1 01110100 0101001 01101001 0101010101 1110001101 111100100100 1101001111010 1010010101010 0101001 110001111 1011 010111 1 01110100 11111101111 011110011 11101110 1101 010001 1111 1110 10111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 127
  • Average number of words per stanza: 23
  • Amount of lines: 27
  • 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:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; be is repeated.

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

    The author used the same word it 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 Where Were You When That Happened?;
  • 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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