How to Read a Poem

Why bother?

Poetry is ____________________.

a. dumb

b. cheesey

c. confusing

d. hard

e. beautiful

f. all of the above

Why bother?

Poetry is ____________________.

a. dumb

b. cheesey

c. confusing

d. hard

e. beautiful

f. all of the above

Depending on the poem--

Depending on the poem--

Some are easy, some are challenging

Some belong on a bad greeting card...

Depending on the poem--

Some are easy, some are challenging

Some belong on a bad greeting card...

But some poems are spectacular

and can change the way you look at the world.

Think about it like this:

Poetry = Songs

Do you like every song you hear?

If you think you don't like any song or poem, you probably haven't been paying attention.

Some songs are bad...

And I was like baby, baby, baby oh

Like baby, baby, baby no

Like baby, baby, baby oh

I thought you'd always be mine (mine)

Baby, baby, baby oh

Like baby, baby, baby no

Like baby, baby, baby ooh

I thought you'd always be mine

But some are truly amazing.

Some songs can change you.

Poetry has the same power.

But thats not all!

Poems are nice because they are small.

In just 15 minutes or so you can chew on a small nugget of awesomeness and have a complete literary experience.

Don't have a month to read through a long novel?

Analyze the Pieces

to Make Meaning

(Poetic Devices)

Metaphor

Structure

"...what dreams may come/ When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,/ Must give us pause."

Shakespearean Soliloquy:

-Personal, deep insights.

-Offers the audience a view into the character's mind and soul.

Make Connections

Metaphor

Structure

The speaker is deeply questioning the interconnectedness of life- "this mortal coil"- and the purpose of their existence in it.

Initial Steps

Step #1

Step #2

Step #4

Step #3

Don't be afraid.

Be brave.

Read through the poem.

Look up any words you don't know.

Look at the title:

Is there anything that might add meaning to the poem?

You're probably not going to fully understand a poem instantly.

Tip: Read sentence by sentence, rather than line by line!

Its okay if you don't fully understand at this point. Just read to get the general idea, the gist of what the poem might mean.

Annotation

Take notes on the poem itself

Step #7

Step #5

Figure out the Structure

Identify the Speaker

What is interesting about the rhyme scheme?

The phsysical layout of the poem? Shapes. Line breaks. Spacing.

Can this add meaning?

What do you know about the speaker?

What Tone are they speaking with?

Does the speaker impact the meaning of the poem?

Step #8

Step #6

Find the Figurative Language

Notice Shifts or Changes

Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.

Metaphor Simile Personification

Does the narrator use a hinge word like "but" or "however"? Pay attention to what thought come right after that.

Is there is shift in

tone?

pacing?

What affect does this have of the meaning of the poem?

Step #9

Read the poem one more time.

What new meaning or insight do you now have?

You did it!