This is an analysis of the poem Turns that begins with:

I thought it made me look more 'working class'
(as if a bit of chequered cloth could bridge that gap!) ...

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: Xabacc cXdeedXbaba
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,11,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1101111101 1001010011111 1001000101 1101011111 10110111111 11001101111 101011101 1110101011 0110110101 11010101001 1101011111 1101001101 1101111100 10111010011 0101111101 1111010011
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 240
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • 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; it is 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 Turns;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Tony Harrison