1. Copy the acronym and what it stands for.
Title
Paraphrase
Devices
Attitude
Shifts
Theme

2. T P
Title- Contemplate the meaning of the title without reference to the poem. In your mind create some expectations of what is to come.
Paraphrase- Begin reading the poem, sentence by sentence, not line by line, putting it into your own words as you go. DO NOT read into the poem; only read on surface level.

3. Devices- Now read the poem a second time, looking for devices and what they are suggesting in terms of meaning. They have a purpose! So should finding them!
Figurative Language (simile, metaphor, personification, imagery, onomatopoeia)-
What extra meaning is brought in by its use?
What tone/mood is suggested by the images it creates?
Sound Devices (alliteration, assonance, consonance)-
How do they impact the images? The tone?
Structure-
Look for particular poem types and also look for general structural devices such as stanzas, rhyme scheme, sets of lines, and length of lines.
Symbol-
Look for something that represents or stands for something else
Diction (connotation, denotation, repetition, etc)-
How does the word choice affect the meaning/message/tone? D

4. A S T
Attitude- Look for the Author’s tone. How does the author feel about the subject? Attitude of speaker? How does the narrator feel about the subject? What details/images/word choices suggest this?
Shifts- Look for shifts in tone. These can be indicated by shifts from stanza to stanza. Don’t just write the line number! Discuss how the shift(s) affects the poem. Find a BUT, YET, etc
Title- RE-evaluate the title as it pertains to the poem- now that you have looked closer, does the title have additional or different significance or meaning?

5. T Theme- What does the poem mean? What is it saying?
First, list what the poet is saying about the subjects.
Then determine what the poet is saying about each of the subjects (theme).
Explain and elaborate as necessary, and be certain your theme is in a complete sentence; don’t simply say “Love” or, “It’s about love.”

6. Alliteration- repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words
Figurative Language- Look for similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification
Imagery- words or phrases that appeal to the reader’s senses
Paraphrase- Go through and put each stanza into your own words.
Repetition – words, sounds or ideas that are repeated
Rhyme Scheme- What pattern is evident in the stanzas? Why do you think the author used this rhyme scheme?
Speaker – the narrator of the poem
Symbols- a thing that represents or stands for something else
Shift- Look for shifts in tone. Key words would be: but, yet, not, however
Title- What do you think the title means?
Theme- What does the poem mean? What is it saying?
Tone- Identify the tone (author’s attitude) and the affect it has on the poem.