This is an analysis of the poem Show It At The Beach that begins with:

Oh they won't let us show it at the beach no they won't let us show it at the beach
They think we're gonna grab it if it gets within our reach...

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: aaA bbbAbaaa cccA XddA
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,8,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 11111101011111110101 11110100010111 1111110101 1111001100110011 111010100110101 111010101010111 1111110101 11111101011 111110101 111110100010111 1111110101 1111000101010001 111000101010101 111011101011101 1111110101 1011010100010111 111110101010001 10011101110101 1111110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 258
  • Average number of words per stanza: 55
  • Amount of lines: 19
  • Average number of symbols per line: 54 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; it, they, show, beach, let, us, at are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words you, but are repeated.

    The author used the same word but at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word beach at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of Show It At The Beach;
  • 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