How do I approach an unseen poem in an exam?

When approaching an unseen poem, it can be very overwhelming! However there are some simple steps to follow that will break the poem down and also will give you a lot to say in an exam response and will help to hit those assessment objectives! (These are usually A01, A02 and A04 as context will play less of a part with unseen). Title: A lot can be said about the title of a poem. There can be hidden meanings, irony, etc. Look for the tense of the title i.e. is the title perhaps referring to something in the past, present, or future (sometimes this can be significant in relation to the rest of the poem).Form: Sonnet (14 lines), Ballad (plot driven with characters), blank verse (iambic pentameter, no rhyme scheme) Epic (probably won't come up as these are usually very long!) Lyric (usually deal with emotions of a singular persona) If the poem doesn’t has a form you don’t recognise, most likely it is free verse (although I expect a poem will be chosen that does have a specific form) Some people will say to have a look at the shape of the poem. This isn't always affective but if you're stuck there might be something to be said about it. Structure/Rhythm: This will go hand in hand with the form. Count how many lines there are, the syllables in the lines, and how many lines are in each stanza. Then move on to rhyme scheme, don’t be at a loss if it doesn’t have one: irregular or a lack of a rhyme scheme can have significance too. Look at the punctuation used at the ends of lines. Are there lots of end-stopped lines (ending in a full stop), or is there enjambment (flowing into the next line). Are their couplets?Voice: Who is speaking? Persona is a nice word to use when referring to the speaker of the poem? Is the poem from the perspective of the poet or does the poet take on a character?Personal Response: How does the poem make you feel? What tone do you think it has? Does it invoke a particularly emotive response? Do you think there is an overall message to the poem? Does the poem have a turning point (volte)? Is the person written for a particular audience? If so how do you think that audience would respond?Language: Get annotating! Look for imagery, metaphors, alliteration, symbolism, description, adjectives, verbs, repetition, irony, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, similes, allusion, personification, oxymorons, puns, pathetic fallacy, etc. etc. Interpretation: What does it all mean? Often there isn’t a right answer, everything is open to interpretation, but try to come to a conclusion about what the poem means for you. If you follow all these steps, they should point you in the right direction in terms of interpretation.