I don't really "get" poetry, how can I write about it?

Remember with poetry that it's all about creativity and analysis. Here are three simple steps to follow to help you write in more depth about a poem.

1. meaning. What is the poem trying to say? Are there any metaphors or similes you can pick up on?

If you are unsure of what a poet is trying to do, you can write 'the poem may mean...however, it could also be interpreted as...'. This shows you have thought about it, and allows you to avoid giving a definite answer.

2. Now that you know the meaning - for example 'the rose in the poem is a metaphor for beauty, or it may be interpreted as representing a women the poet loves' - you can discuss why this is an effective technique. You might say that the technique creates a strong image, maybe it induces a feeling in the reader, maybe it adds to the tone of love/sadness/jealousy etc that appears in the overall poem.

3)Structure. If you are stuck on what to say about a poem, you can always discuss how it is written. Are the lines of even length? Is there a rhyme pattern? Are the stanzas (paragraphs of a poem) equal in length? Quite simply, what does it look like on the page, and why do you think this is important. For example, long flowing lines might suggest a sadness, or perhaps lines of uneven length suggest confusion. Try to find at least one thing to say about the structure, and to reach top marks connect this to what you've said about the content.