How do you analyse a poem?

Firstly read the poem slowly through. Then read the poem again, thinking about whether there is a general mood or atmosphere to the poem- whether it may seem sad or happy and if this mood changes anywhere in the poem. If you’re not sure of the mood, perhaps look at the words used and if the majority feel more negative or positive e.g. ‘shattered’ and ‘black’ feel negative whereas ‘golden’ and ‘joined’ feel more positive. Looking at the title is often helpful as it may denote information about the poem through its tense or suggested meaning or use of pronouns. Always annotate as you make your way through the poem, noting language techniques such as similes and metaphors, alliteration, assonance, sibilance, personification, imagery, symbolism, irony, repetition, hyperbole, onomatopoeia etc. and what effect their use has. I also often think of the sound of the words- for example if they use plosive and harsh sounds or soft/sinister sibilance. Look at the form of the poem- - perhaps it is a sonnet or blank verse? Note the structure of the stanzas- whether they are quatrains or tercets or couplets according to the number of lines in them and if the theme between the stanzas changes. You may also count the number of syllables per line to work out the meter, whether it be Iambic pentameter or free verse. Look at the rhyme scheme, if there even is one, and if it is regular or not and what effect it has or what words rhyme and therefore are perhaps more important. The punctuation also should be noted- if the lines are end-stopped or if there is use of enjambment. The poem may also use a caesura which may combine with a volta- but ultimately you need to explain what effect these techniques have. For example whether the volta demonstrates the change in an argument or the caesura causes a pause that places emphasis on the next word. Look at the speaker (persona) of the poem, whether it’s 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd person and whether you have an idea of who owns the poem’s voice- whether it is a father, a lover or a Lord etc. It is obviously also important to note the events that you think are taking place during the poem. Ultimately there is no ‘right’ answer, and to give a good answer you need to use examples from the poem and the techniques used to justify your interpretation of it and come to a conclusion. If needed I will explain terminology and their meanings before giving students examples that we can work through together.