This is an analysis of the poem Dirty Face that begins with:

Where did you get such a dirty face,
My darling dirty-faced child? ...

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: XXaabbccddeeddbb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 16,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 101110101 1101011 11001001001 11011011001 11001001001 11011001011 11001000011 11011101011 11001001001 11011001011 11001001101 11001001011 11001001101 11011101101 110011110011 10101111100
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 677
  • Average number of words per stanza: 138
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 41 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, from are repeated.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Shel Silverstein