Why Don'T You Go First? by Lawrence S. Pertillar: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Why Don'T You Go First? that begins with:

You are too curt.
Too blunt....

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: aabac XdXX X XbXXaaXbX e cedaXaeX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,4,1,9,1,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111 11 1011110 1110111100 1111 1 1111 101011 1010111110 110 1 10101 11010011 1011010 110101 111011011 111101010010 1001101 10110011011 1110010 1111 1111 110110101 101011111 1 11111 1111 10111
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 112
  • Average number of words per stanza: 22
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 23 (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.

    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; too, i are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words too, i are repeated.

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

  • summary of Why Don'T You Go First?;
  • 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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