How to Write a Poem Analysis

Poetry analysis or poem review may be defined as a process of analyzing the poetic language, its form and content, helping the reader understand the concealed meaning of the poem. It may involve deeper reviewing beyond the mentioned phrases and words in the poem.

Selection of the Poem

This may be a very critical step as a short poem may often be the most difficult one to analyze while the longer ones may be more narrative and much easier to do so.

Understanding the Theme of the Poem

This may be the preliminary and the most important step as understanding the theme of the poem only ensures a proper beginning of your poetic analysis.

Paraphrasing and Connotations

While analysis of the hidden meaning is considered important criteria in poetry analysis, understanding the literal meaning of the poem also is equally important. Start the process of poetry analysis by paraphrasing the poem in your own words writing exactly about what is explained in the poem.

The next step may be to connote the poetic devices, tones, attitude and its effect. This may support in phrasing out an effective conclusion also.

Steps in Writing a Poem Analysis

In general, the steps involved in writing a poem analysis may be briefed out as below:

• Read, understand, write the literal meaning and provide your own comments.
• Research the poet and also explore his/her literature work.
• Read again – concentrate on the theme of the poem, word selections and combinations, poetic tones ad devices, attitude. Identify the mood of each stanza.
• Start with a detailed description of the story, which has inspired the poet to write this poem.
• Summarize your personal opinion about the poem.
• Conclude with a note on the effect the poet has on the reader.

Improve Your Poem Analysis Skills

There are certain points that you can consider in order to present a better analysis on a particular poem:

• Comprehend with the concept of argument or discussion on a particular point highlighted in the poem. This can be further enhanced by citing a well-known example.
• Compare the particular situation explained in the poem with similar situations explained in some other literature work. Include quotations if possible.
• Include a note on the effect that the poem may yield to the reader.

Dos and Don’ts of a Poem Analysis

• Always read the poem more than twice. Reading it aloud may be better.
• Avoid shallow or superficial writing.
• Give more importance to the personal reflections and feeling rather than analyzing the technical part of the poem.
• Look for word shifts to understand the mood of the poem (however, although, irony, etc.)
• Be sure to differentiate a metaphor (a poetic comparison), metonymy (using a symbol to stand for what it represents), a hyperbole (an exaggeration) and a synecdoche (when a part is used instead of the whole) to understand the poetic devices.
• Don’t read other person’s analysis.
• Avoid plagiarizing from online samples.
• Be firm and clear in displaying your opinion about the poem.

The concluding passage of the poetry analysis should elaborate on the feeling or the effects that the poem brings in into the reader. It may also include a note about the poet, his knowledge on the alliteration and his situation, which has led to presenting such a poem to the world.