"His Speed and Strength" is written from the first person point of view, which means that the speaker refers to herself as "I." The "I" who narrates a poem or story is often a fictional persona or character, rather than the author. In this poem, however, Ostriker seems to refer to her own son and their real hometown in New Jersey. This poem is written in free verse, which means that it does not have a regular pattern of rhymes or meter. The poem is divided into three stanzas that each have seven lines. The number of syllables and the rhythm in each line are irregular.

To determine whether a poem is written in free verse or a set form, readers can scan the meter, highlighting the syllables that are emphasized when spoken aloud. The first three lines of "His Speed and Strength" use four types of stresses...