A method of analyzing poetry TPCASTT A method of analyzing poetry

T - Title The first step is to make a prediction as to what the title of the poem means. Make connections to what you know about the title You don’t have to be “right”

P - Paraphrase Put the poem in your own words Line by line, or stanza by stanza This helps you to understand the surface level meaning of the poem

C - Connotation Now look into the deeper meaning of the poem of the poem by looking for all of those figurative language tools Imagery Diction Symbolism End rhyme or internal rhyme Enjambment – when a sentence or phrase continues it’s thought over two lines Alliteration Consonance Mood Personification

A - Attitude This is the tone of the speaker of the poem. Remember, the speaker is like the narrator What are some exceptional emotional words we can come up with?

S - Shift Shift is a change in tone, action, or rhythm Write a few sentences as to how the change affects the poem’s meaning Poets use shift to show transition, to show a difference in meaning, or to show importance

T – Title (again) Now that you’ve read the poem a few times, go back and write about the title What does the title mean in relation to the poem? Reevaluate your prediction from before reading

T - Theme Theme in poetry is the same as theme in prose What is the poet trying to say? What does the poem mean? What is the universal truth about humanity and the human condition?