This is an analysis of the poem I Can’t Sleep that begins with:

I can’t sleep. Homer, and the taut white sails.
I could the list of ships read only to a half:...

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: aXab cdcd bXbX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111010111 110101110001 0111010101 1101010101 01010100101 11011111 1111010011 11111110101 110101111101 111100100101 110101101 100101101101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 183
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 45 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • 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; and is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of I Can’t Sleep;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Osip Emilevich Mandelstam