Poetry A nalysis T emplate
You n eed t o b e a ble t o a nswer a ll o f t hese q uestions a bout y our p oem. A fter y ou h ave
gathered a ll o f t his i nformation, y ou w ill b e r eady t o w rite a s cript t hat y ou w ill b e a ble
to u se t o e xplain y our p oem t o t he a udience.
Introduction:
1. What i s t he n ame o f y our p oem?
2. What i s t he n ame o f y our p oet?
3. What i s t he d ate ( or a pproximate d ate) o f y our p oem’s p ublication?
4. What o ther r elevant b ackground i nformation c an y ou t ell u s? T his c ould
include d etails a bout t he a uthor, d etails a bout t he t ime p eriod t he p oem w as
written i n, o r a ny o ther i nteresting t idbits o f i nformation. Y ou s hould h ave a t
least o ne o r t wo t hings t o s ay.
Form:
1. What i s t he o verall f orm o f t he p oem. T hat i s, w hat g enre o r t ype o f p oetry i s
your p oem? I f y ou h ave n o i dea w hat f orm o f p oem y ou a re s tudying, a g ood
list o f d ifferent f orms i s f ound a t
2. What i s t he s tructure o f y our p oem? T hat i s, h ow m any s tanzas d oes i t h ave?
How m any l ines d oes i t h ave? I s t here a p attern t o t he l ine a nd s tanza
structures?
3. What i s t he r hyme s cheme o f y our p oem?
Meaning
1. Discuss w hat t he o verall m eaning o f y our p oem i s. A void o ne s entence
answers. Y ou n eed t o e xpand o n y our a nswer. M ost p oems m ake s everal
interesting p oints a nd y ou n eed t o e xplain a s m any o f t hem a s y ou c an.
2. Discuss h ow t his p oem r elates t o y our l ife, a nd/or t o l ife i n g eneral.
Figurative L anguage a nd P oetic T echniques:
1. Identify s everal ( four w ould b e t he b are m inimum – y ou c an l ikely f ind m ore)
examples o f f igurative l anguage a nd p oetic t echniques i n y our p oem. E xplain
why t hese a re s ignificant t o t he p oem’s m eaning. E xamples c ould i nclude:
alliteration, i rony, m etaphor, s imile, p ersonification, h yperbole, r epetition,
imagery. T hey c ould a lso i nclude s ymbolism, c ontrast, p aradox, o xymoron,
assonance, c onsonance, a nd m any m ore t hat w e h ave n ot s tudied i n c lass).