This is an analysis of the poem While I Wait that begins with:

If I'm...
Giving up too much love....

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: aXbaXCaC CBCBDCCXDCC BCBDCCXDCCCXDCCCC
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,11,17,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 00 101111 11 101011 0110111 111 011110101 111 111 111101011 111 111 111 111 111 11101 11101 111 111 111101011 111 111 111 111 111 11101 11101 111 111 111 11101 11101 111 111 111 111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 223
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 36
  • Average number of symbols per line: 18 (very short strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • Mood of the speaker:

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

    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; i, while, wait are repeated.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines wait is repeated).

    The poet repeated the same word wait at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of While I Wait;
  • 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