How should I annotate a poem?

It’s important to remember that there is no fixed way to annotate a poem, many people have different techniques and the best thing to do is to find the one that suits you. A well annotated poem will provide you with all the tools you need to write a great analysis of any poem and once you’ve got the hang of your technique, you’ll be able to do it quickly. Here is how I approach annotating a poem:

Begin by reading the poem. Don’t make any notes yet, just try and get a feel for what the poem is about or if it reminds you of anything else you’ve read. Don’t panic if it doesn’t immediately make sense, it will become clearer when you break it down.Now read the poem again but this time underline any interesting words or phrases.Now look at the language of the poem. Do the words make you feel a certain way, what do they do to the tone of the poem? Can you spot any poetic techniques? For example, does the poet use alliteration, metaphors or similes? If so, circle these and note down what effect you think these have on the poem.Are there any underlying themes in the poem? Is the poem about family or loss, for example? Sometimes the title may give you a clue to the poem’s theme so remember to look at it. List any themes next to the poem.Look at the poem’s form, does it resemble one you’ve seen before? For example, the poem may be a sonnet, or a ballad. If it is, note this down on the page.Think about poem’s rhyme, rhythm and metre. If you can identify a rhyme scheme i.e ABAB write this in the corner of the page, you’ll need it later. Think about why the poet has decided to write their poem in this way. Does the poem’s rhythm and its theme link in any way? For example, if the poem is about children and the rhythm resembles a nursery rhyme, that would be a great connection to make in your answer.Now look at the poem’s structure, how many stanzas are there, how many lines are in each stanza? Do the stanzas run on from each other (enjambment) so that they read smoothly or are they separated by punctuation? What effect does this have on your reading of the poem?Finally read the poem through a final time, taking stock of all your notes and annotations and prepare to move on to writing your analysis.  

Now you’ve got your annotated poem in front of you, you are fully equipped to analyse it using all the information you’ve unearthed in your exploration. You should have notes on language, poetic techniques, structure, form, rhyme, rhythm and metre. You will have also thought about what the poem is about, and what themes are addressed in the poem. Now, you’re ready to write your analysis.