How should I prepare for an unseen poem?

An unseen poem is designed to test your ability to respond to a poem, rather than memorising analysis, and your knowledge and application of literary terms. Though it can seem daunting, it is possible to prepare how you will approach this part of the exam. First and foremost, it is important to brush up on your terminology. You should be able to identify a range of techniques used by the author. (I would ask the student if they can give some examples, expanding their list if necessary). Next, it’s a good idea to think of what themes commonly come up in poetry, for example, love, relationships, conflict, war, time, nature etc. You can use your set poems to help you with this. When faced with an unseen poem it is important to read it through more than once. Try to understand what the poem is about. What is its subject? Who is the speaker? Who is the poem addressing? Next you may want to take note of form, structure, punctuation and highlight or underline words, phrases or lines for techniques the author has used. This can help you plan and decide what each paragraph will be about. You might find it helpful to first practise annotating random poems, then making 5-minute plans, grouping annotations into 3 or 4 paragraphs which might be based on theme or how the poet gets their message across. (I might indicate on a white-board that they could do this in a spider diagram or a table format). As you progress, you could try writing some practice essays, being sure to include subject, themes, tone, techniques, analysis and affect on the reader.