1. How to Read a Poem

2. Rules for Reading a Poem 1. Do not read line by line.  Just because a line ends, that does not necessarily mean the sentence ends.  Read to the next punctuation mark, or determine if the line end is the end of the sentence. 2. Recognize that words may be out of order or inverted.  Rhyme scheme.  Rhythm. 3. Determine meaning.  Surface meaning: what the poem is about.  Deeper meaning: what meaning the poet tries to communicate; look deep into the poem and determine what meaning lies beneath the surface.

3. Understanding Vocabulary  Every word in a poem has meaning.  If you do not know the meaning of a word, you must look it up.  Understanding every word will help you to understand the meaning of the poem.

4. Steps to Reading a Poem 1. Read the poem once out loud to get a sense of it.  Poems are meant to be heard, not just read.  Read slowly, but keep going. 2. Identify the speaker.  The poet is not necessarily the speaker.  Just like in literature, poets create characters who speak their poems. Who is the personae? 3. Ask what the title, subject, and situation make you expect. Make a prediction.

5. Steps to Reading a Poem Cont’d 4. Argue and discuss the meaning of the poem.  Your interpretation may be different and that is okay! 5. Determine if the poem has a rhyme scheme or if it’s written in free verse. 6. Figure out the tone of the poem, the way the poet’s voice sounds toward the subject matter. 7. Does the poet use any figures of speech such as similes and metaphors?

6. Poetry and Music  If you have a favorite song, you have a favorite poem. All song lyrics are poems set to music.  Rap is a modern form of poetry!  Just like songs, poems can mean something different to each person. Song writers and poets want individuals to understand some basic ideas, but differences in meaning is encouraged.