How to Analyse a Poem
1. Read the poem once.
2. What is the TITLE of the poem?
3. Read the poem a second time.
4. Identify the STRUCTURE of the poem.
 How many stanzas?
 How many lines in each stanza?
 Controlled structure or free form?
 Is there a rhyming scheme?
5. Identify the MEANING: what is the poem about?
 Literal meaning
6. What IMAGERY is evoked in the reader’s mind?
 What words give you these pictures?
7. Identify POETICAL DEVICES including:
 Similes
 Metaphors
 Personification
 Onomatopoeia
 Alliteration
 Enjambment
 Volta
 Caesura
8. REPETITION: Highlight any words that are repeated.
9. Write down any central THEMES or SYMBOLS
10. Identify the poet’s TONE.
11. Identify the MOOD of the poem.
12. Who is the NARRATOR/S of the poem and who is the intended AUDIENCE?
13. Always explain the poet’s overall EFFECT of the poem on the reader.
How to Analyse a Poem
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the poem once.
What is the TITLE of the poem?
Read the poem a second time.
Identify the STRUCTURE of the poem.
 How many stanzas?
 How many lines in each stanza?
 Controlled structure or free form?
 Is there a rhyming scheme?
5. Identify the MEANING: what is the poem about?
 Literal meaning
6. What IMAGERY is evoked in the reader’s mind?
 What words give you these pictures?
7. Identify POETICAL DEVICES including:
 Similes
 Metaphors
 Personification
 Onomatopoeia
 Alliteration
 Enjambment
 Volta
 Caesura
8. REPETITION: Highlight any words that are repeated.
9. Write down any central THEMES or SYMBOLS
10. Identify the poet’s TONE.
11. Identify the MOOD of the poem.
12. Who is the NARRATOR/S of the poem and who is the intended AUDIENCE?
13. Always explain the poet’s overall EFFECT of the poem on the reader.