Introduction to Poetry: How to Read a Poem English I Honors Mr. Popovich

Step One: Read the poem SILENTLY straight through. How to Read a Poem Think about the meaning of the title of the poem. Then read it straight through without stopping. –Try to get a sense of the speaker’s voice –Who is speaking in this poem? To whom? Finally, state what it is about in a word or phrase. –This is the subject and/or topic. –If you don’t know, just make a guess.

Step Two: Read the poem ALOUD straight through. How to Read a Poem Be aware of the following: –Caesura: a pause in the middle of a line –End-stop: a pause at the end of a line –Enjambment: NO pause at the end Determine if it is VERSE or FREE VERSE: –Verse: a regular rhythm and specific rhyme scheme –Free Verse: no particular rhythm nor rhyme scheme Listen for other sound effects: MORE LATER!

Step Three: Read the poem SILENTLY– ANALYZE! How to Read a Poem Think about the overall meaning of the poem. Stop to think about DICTION– the choice of words. –Denotation: the dictionary definition of a word –Connotation: the emotional association of a word Finally, state in a sentence what you think it means. –This is the theme, or main idea. –Again, give it your best guess.

Step Four: Read the poem ALOUD– PERFORM! How to Read a Poem Pretend: You are an actor, these are your lines. –WHO are you? To whom are you speaking? –HOW are you going to speak these lines? –WHAT exactly are you trying to convey? Consider the following elements of your voice: –Intonation: emphasizing words or phrases –Pauses: stopping for a particular effect –Volume: speaking louder or softer –Pacing: speaking faster or slower

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