How to analyse a poem?

When analysing a poem, I find that using the method ‘SMILE’ is very helpful. SMILE stands for:S - StructureM - MeaningI - ImageryL - LanguageE - Effect When looking at a poem, you should always try to find a few points for each of these letters, and most importantly, think about the final letter (effect). You should always think about the effect of what the writer has done, whether that is the effect of the structure of the effect of the language used. If you stick to this method when analysing a poem, you should find the right points to write about in an essay.

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Answered by Grace V. English Literature tutor

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