Writing the Literary Analysis- First Person Poetry Some Observations after reading your microthemes

You must re-read and proofread your work Cut the clutter Simplify your writing - say what you mean Address the assignment (address the question) Stay focused on the question. Your claim will keep you focused. Do not write about superfluous issues that do not come back to your claim (which addresses the question). First - write out your thoughts - free write! Then, look at your free writing. How can you turn your free writing into an analytical essay? Do not begin with material that's not relevant. Does it really matter what year the poem was published? That depends on the question. Don't use it as filler. Look at your sentences. Read them out loud. How do they sound? Don't forget about good grammar and mechanics. For example does the subject agree with the pronoun? Are you using a singular subject (the speaker) and the pronoun later: they or he or she?

Now... Some of the most important issues: You must show evidence from the text to back up your opinions - your conclusions about the text. DO NOT EXPLICATE THE POEM by starting with the first line and going line by line through the poem explaining what the speaker is doing. Rather - have a point (claim) you want to make, then analyze that point by using lines, phrases, words from the text to make that point. Don't try to write as if you are trying to "sound smart." MAKE YOUR WRITNG CLEAR!!!! Clarity is everything!