How should I structure an essay about a poem?

The most important thing to do before you even start writing your essay is to plan out what you intend to say. Organise the ideas you wish to express into sections with a clear introduction and conclusion either side of your answer.

Read through the poem you have chosen to write about. If possible, read it aloud and consider the sounds of the words and the rhythm of each sentence as you read from start to finish. Afterwards, take stock of your reaction to the poem: do you feel moved by the story or the images the piece conjures up? Write down your thoughts in the space allocated for your essay plan. 

The next step is to now ask yourself what you consider the poem to be about. What do you think the poet wanted to tell the reader? Make a note of your interpretation. Now read through the poem once more with this reading in mind and look for patterns in the text. Look for stylistic techniques: for example, does the poet use alliteration (repetition of the same letter sounds)? What feeling do you think this conveys? Essentially you want to note down in your plan what you think the poet is doing with his use of language and theme, and then looking for clues in the composition of the poem to illustrate your observation.

Gather your observations together in your plan. In your introduction you can outline your overall interpretation of the poem (for example: 'What does William Blake think of the city he is describing in his poem 'London' - is it a happy or a sad place?). Then allocate three paragraphs within which to write about three things you notice about the poem. For each point structure your argument using the Point - Quote - Analysis system. Here's an example:

Point - your idea about the poem's meaning - e.g: William Blake thinks London is making it's inhabitants unhappy.

Quote - an example taken from the text that gives your idea - Stanza 2: 'In every cry of every Man / In every Infants cry of fear'

Analysis - why does your chosen quote give you your idea - Content: the repetion of the word 'every' emphasises just how many people are sufferring in London. Style: this emphasis is conveyed to the reader through Blake's use of the same amount of syllables in each line (eight syllables).

Gather three examples of the PQA system together in your essay plan. Put your three ideas inbetween an introduction and conclusion in order to structure a clear and effective essay that demonstrates your understanding of the themes and techniques of your chosen poem.