How to Write a Poetry Commentary Step 1: Reading the Poem ● Read the poem silently once. Write down any impressions, emotions, or confusions the poem causes. ● Read the poem again; try to understand its meaning or the course of events it may describe. ● Read the poem aloud if possible. Pay attention to the tone and speed of the poem. ● Read the poem again and take notes about its meaning on the literal level and any figurative meanings it may include. ● ● Read the poem again, this time looking for literary devices such as: ○ Imagery ○ Assonance/ Consonance/ Alliteration/ Sibilance ○ Onomatopoeia ○ Metaphors, Similes, and Personifications. ○ Contrast What does the title suggest- is it related to our understanding of the poem? Note: Compare your first impression of the title to its actual meaning. ● Notice the poem's form and structure- what is the physical structure of the poem: the length of its lines, its rhythms, its rhyme and repetition, what type of poem is it, how many stanzas, how many lines, etc. ● Pay attention to the author's tone and how this influences the poem. Step 2: Looking for Detail ● Make connections - in what ways do the poem's literary devices add to the poem's meaning? ● What effect does the writer's tone have on the reader's perception of the poem? ● What effect does metre and form have on meaning? (Note: Metre can be found by counting the syllables in each line and simply dividing them by two. If this is the same for each line, then the poem is written in a specific metre.) Step 3: Writing Your Commentary ● State the poem's title and author. ● Meaning: Say what you believe the poem is about. Explain its literal meaning and its figurative meaning. ● Structure and Form: Discuss the structure and form of the poem. How does the structure/form of the poem contribute to the meaning? For example, a war poem might have a marching beat to give a feeling of marching into battle. Write about the poem's metre and its speed. ● Literary Devices: Write about the poem´s literary devices. For example: Discuss the imagery in the poem. How do the images the poet uses contribute to the overall meaning of the poem? ● Tone: Discuss the tone of the poem. What is the poet's attitude toward the subject of the poem, and does it change from the beginning to the end? How is the reader supposed to feel when reading the poem? ● Conclusion: The conclusion is a good place to get more personal with your analysis. What did the poem mean to you personally? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? How does this poem relate to your world and your life?
