This is an analysis of the poem Scum Of The Earth that begins with:

There was a group called called Scum of the Earth
And they say they got their birth...

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: aaXbXcXddEEEfgfXXbecEEEafgEEE
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 29,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101111001 1111111 001011111010 0111111010111 10101111101010 0101110110101010 11110100011010 11111101111101 1010011111011 101001111101 101100101011111 101001111101 10111110111011010 11010101111110 1111011100100010 1110110011010 1101110110111010 11110111110110 100101000111110110 110011110110110 101001111101 101100101011111 101001111101 1111001111011111 01111110101010110 1101011101011111001010 101001111101 101100101011111 101001111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1684
  • Average number of words per stanza: 333
  • Amount of lines: 29
  • Average number of symbols per line: 57 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 11
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; he, and, of, his, on, they, scum, earth, higher are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Scum Of The Earth;
  • 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