1. Analyzing Poetry

2. Step One Read the poem several times. Multiple readings are required in order to get a feel for the poem’s theme and emotion. Often, reading it aloud will help you recognize how the grammar and form function as well as feel the emotion it is intended to evoke.

3. Step Two Note any words or phrases you do not understand in the poem, including in the title, and use a dictionary to look them up. It is imperative to know the meaning of every word used in the work as poets choose them carefully.

4. Step Three Establish the dramatic situation of the poem by determining who the speaker is (it is not always the poet), where the poem takes place and what actually happens during the work. Understanding these things will help you recognize point of view, imagery and dramatic element necessary to analyze the poem’s meaning.

5. Step Four Study the poem line by line, noting the form and rhyme scheme. Label each line of the first verse to identify the pattern. (ie. AABA, AABB, ABAB, etc.)

6. Step Five Interpret sensory images and objects by analyzing what they signify, or the emotion they evoke. Sometimes this may be a single object such as a rose or an active image such as a funeral procession. Brainstorm what these things mean and how they make you feel to help unravel the theme and tone of the poem.

7. Step Six Label all examples of figurative language such as simile, metaphor and personification. Write a brief phrase of interpretation.

8. Step Seven Write one paragraph in which you explain your findings from steps one through four. Write another paragraph to describe the meaning and theme the poet wanted to convey using information from steps five through seven.

9. Now Give It a Try! Go to the resource on Moodle labeled “The Daffodils”. Save your own copy of this resource and complete the poetry analysis steps using the guide included with the poem!