 You will need to read the poem multiple times to get an idea of all of the explicit and implied meanings.  Give yourself a chance to fully experience the poem.

 The title may contain important clues to understanding the meaning of the poem.  Often the title is an introduction that can guide you through the poem.  EX: Langston Hughes’ poem, “Mother to Son”

 Don’t panic or obsess over unfamiliar words or foreign terms.  On your first read, pass over the “unknown”, and go for understanding the greater meaning/the big picture.  When you read the poem a second, third, and following times, you can then look up problematic words/terms so that you can more fully understand the meaning.

 Poems are meant to be heard. There will be places in a poem that made no sense when you read it silently, but when you read it aloud, these areas make perfect sense!  Read to the mirror, your younger sibling, or even your pet.  Read in your own voice. Don’t try to sound like someone else!!

 Most poems use punctuation to guide the voice of its reader.  Pay attention, because the end of a line of poetry is usually NOT THE END of a sentence.  EX:  When I see birches bend to left and right  Across the lines of straighter trees,  I like to think some boy’s been swinging in them.  If you read smoothly through, pausing at the comma, and making a full stop at the period, the poem will have its proper conversational tone.

 It may help you to write in your own words what you believe the poet is saying.  However, avoid the idea that there is one and only one meaning.

 Remember not to confuse the speaker with the poet.  More often than not, the speaker is a character in the poem.  Determining who the speaker is, will help you approach the work more easily.

 EX: William Carlos Williams’ poem “The Red Wheelbarrow”, is often dismissed as cryptic, confusing, and ultimately unknowable.  Being open to the poet’s intentions can lead you to some interesting ideas and questions (in this case, what is important to life?).

 Poets select each and every word carefully.  No words should be dismissed.  Images and symbols all have a purpose in the overall meaning of the poem.

 Many poems are intentionally open-ended, and refuse to resolve their internal tensions.  While it is desirable to understand what it is saying, there are approaches and interpretations other than your own.