This is an analysis of the poem Portrait that begins with:

A child draws the outline of a body.
She draws what she can, but it is white all through,...

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: XXXXabXXab
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 10,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0110110010 11111100111 1101011101 0100010111 11010111 1110010101 110010 11101 01010011010
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 168
  • Average number of words per stanza: 32
  • Amount of lines: 9
  • Average number of symbols per line: 36 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

  • summary of Portrait;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Louise Gluck