How do you analyse a poem?

When first looking at a poem, being by identifying the main themes of the poem. Then identify key devices used in order to convey the theme and the message the poet wanted to portray to the reader (e.g. using a metaphor to make an emotion more relatable for the reader). 

The best answers will not analyse the poem stanza by stanza, but will rather jump around the poem in relation to the themes and literary techniques used. For example, if each stanza begins in a certain way, the purpose of this aspect will be explored in one paragraph of the answer as opposed to returning to the point as the student makes their way through the poem. 

Remeber not to neglect the title and structure of the poem. Think about how the title prepares the reader for the rest of the poem (for example, does the title evoke a particular emotion in the reader which is then strengthened by the rest of the poem?). The structure may also be key and can sometimes be set out deliberately in relation to the theme of the poem. For example, if the poem surrounded the theme of the rigid nature of life in the marines and the poem was structured into four stanzas each containing four lines of similar length, one could argue that this mirrors the rigid structure of life in the marines, adding another element to the poem. 

Finally, always remeber to analyse the beginning and the end of the poem. Once again, this does not necessarily have to be at the beginning or at the end of the answer. In fact, many times the beginning and end will link to eachother or another part of the poem, so the best answers will deal with this spontaneously in the analysis. It is always a good idea to link the beginning of the poem to the end in order to show how the poem has progressed.