How to Analyze a Poem.
You don't need to be an English major to dissect poetry.
You will need A poem A biography of the author Focus A notebook and a pen.
Step 1.
Research the author to understand the poem’s context.
The period of time the author lived in and the author's personal experiences often influence
their writing.
Step 2.
Determine the form of the piece, whether it is a fixed poem that follows a specific structure
or written in free verse.
Look for breaks in the form.
Poets break a poem's form to emphasize a word or a line.
Step 3.
Read the poem and break down the meter, or the stressed and unstressed syllables of each
line.
Notice if stressed words have significance.
Read the poem several times, and take notes on particular words or phrases that stand
out.
Step 4.
Identify how the poet uses devices of sound such as rhyme, repetition, assonance, and
alliteration.
Step 5.
Look for devices of sense, such as figures of speech, metaphors, similes, visuals, and
symbolism.
Determine the meanings of these devices in the poem.
Step 6.
Determine the speaker of the poem, and the tone of the piece.
Notice if the poet is speaking from personal experience or from another point of view.
Step 7.
Form a thesis, or an argument for the meaning of the poem using what you've observed.
Did you know Did you know?
Walt Whitman comforted soldiers in the hospital during the Civil War, and their suffering
provided him with inspiration for his poetry.