How to write an analysis of a poem

 At the core of any and every written analysis about poetry must be your own interpretation of the poem or poems you are writing about.

 Poems are rarely to be taken at face value.  It is never the literal meanings that will help - it is exposing and discussing the poem's 'deeper meanings.'

 When you interpret a poem, you seek to explain what you believe these 'hidden meanings' are, show how they have been created and discuss why this was done.  Remember: the meanings you seek exist 'between the lines'.

 The first thing you have to do is  Read the Poem

Questions while reading  Who is doing the speaking in the poem - what kind of person and in what kind of state or mood?  Who is being spoken to or addressed?  What is being spoken about?  Where do the events of the poem happen and what is the situation surrounding them?

Questions while reading  Now - and this is crucial to a good understanding - work out exactly what tone of voice or manner of the speaking voice? (Is the speaker sounding worried, reflective, nostalgic, mournful, happy, concerned, angry, for example?).tone of voice  Importantly, does the tone of voice change during the poem? Make a note of where this occurs.

 Paraphrase the poem line-by-line into plain language.  Once you've made a general decision about the poem's meaning and theme, write it down so that you can refer to it as you look at the details of the poem.

 Pay special attention to unusual words.  It is often helpful to ask yourself what the most important word in a line, couplet, or stanza is.  You can also look for words with unusual connotations. Make a note of these, especially if the word suggests something that you didn't expect to see.

 Consider the effects of other poetic devices the poet has used, such as the way the lines cut up the sentences, the use of rhythm and rhyme, alliteration and so on.

 Keep a list of poetic terms handy, such as metaphor and imagery, so you will know what to look for.

 Start at the beginning of the poem, and see if you can identify examples of any poetic terms.  In the margins, simply make a note of what kinds of poetic terms you find.

 Identify the different poetic terms you want to emphasize.  Reading the poem again, put a mark by those lines which most directly speak about the theme or message of the poem.  These lines will probably be most useful in supporting your analysis.

Your analysis requires nothing more than that you:  State your answer.  Give the reasons why you believe this.  How you intend to show that your view makes sense.  Support your case through a series of separate points.  Support each point with a quotation from the poem.  Discuss important parts of each quotation used, e.g. its effect, importance, and meaning toward the poem’s theme.

How to write the first sentence  Think of the first sentence as a response to an OER question.  What is the poem’s theme and what poetic devices does it use to strengthen its theme? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

How to write the first sentence  Format:  The poem, “______,” has a theme of ______ and uses various poetic devices to strengthen that message.  Don’t write “various poetic devices” in your answer. Be specific. Which poetic devices? Simile? Hyperbole? Alliteration? Etc.

 Be sure to mention not only what the lines mean, but also how the specific language helps support the theme.  Focus on the poetic devices and how they enhance the theme.