This is an analysis of the poem The Sniper that begins with:

Because back home in Tennessee
I was a champeen shot,...

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: ababb cacaa dedee bfbff aXXXbb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,5,5,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 01110101 110101 11010101 110111 110111 10010101 010110 01111111 110111 011111 11011111 110101 11010101 111111 010101 11011001 010111 010010111 110101 011111 11111101 110100 11010100 001000 11011101 011001
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 227
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 27
  • Average number of symbols per line: 33 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

  • summary of The Sniper;
  • 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 William Service