In his poem “My Parents,” Spender structures his stanzas as three quatrains, resulting in three stanzas consisting of four lines each. It is two lines short of a sonnet, and its structure does not fit into any of the traditional poetic forms. Likewise, Spender does not adhere to any stringent rhyme-scheme or meter, which is a common feature of postwar, modernist poetry. However, most modern poetry refrains from implementing structured stanzas such as quatrains, preferring to utilize free verse.

In this way, Spender's work is an interesting combination of traditional and modern poetry structure, intermingling the two separate genre conventions to strengthen the poem's thematic core. “My Parents” concerns the socio-economic class differences in post-war England, particularly within the youth. By focusing on children, Spender is able to highlight the considerable differences that have already emerged between the narrator and the neighborhood children. Despite their young age, the different societies in which they have been raised make any form of friendship between the two impossible.

The dual characteristics of the structure of “My Parents” reflects this rift. The narrator is likely responsible for organizing the poem into neat, uniform stanzas, while the neighborhood children are likely to defy any attempt at rhyme or meter. Thus, “My Parents” is a brilliant example of how an author can use structure to support a theme.