This is an analysis of the poem Be Merciful To The Horse that begins with:

Do the beasts of burden that strive and groan
And writhe and crouch 'neath the pitiless rod ...

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: ab ab Xc Xc X d Xd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,2,2,2,1,1,2,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1010101111 1111101001 1110010111 111110101 111101101 01001101001 11111001101 110101100 111010101 010110101 111110111 1110100101
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 73
  • Average number of words per stanza: 14
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

  • summary of Be Merciful To The Horse;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Robert Kirkland Kernighan