This is an analysis of the poem Three-Legged Man that begins with:

Well now friends you'll never guess it so I really must confess it
I just met the sweetest woman of my long dismal life....

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: XabaccbaXXddefXfgeXdhhbXgXeX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 28,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111101011101010 11101010011101 1010111010111010 111111100011101 11101111111 11110010101 111011101111110 11101010110101 11101111001101010 111110101111101 10101010001 11101011111 0011010011010 101110101101 1110111011111010 11110101110 1010101010101110 101010100010101 10100010101001010 1011111111101 11111011111 1010101111 1110111010101010 10000101111111 11110111011111110 111111101111111 011011101110 00110111110
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1599
  • Average number of words per stanza: 312
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 56 (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; and, legged, of, you are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words and, 'cross are repeated.

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

  • summary of Three-Legged Man;
  • 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