Teaching Literature - Poetry

How to talk about a Poem

Learning how to talk about poetry and being able to interpret what poems mean is not the easiest thing in the world to do. When discussing a poem two areas must be considered: meaning and mechanics.

First, consider the meaning of the poem.

1. Paraphrase all the portions of the poem.

2. Precis the poem, either line by line or stanza by stanza.

3. Is there symbolism used in the poem? (If there is symbolism, understanding it is the key to understanding the poem.)

4. Is the poem lyric or narrative?

To paraphrase the poem:

1. Look at the title. What significance does the title have in connection with the meaning of the poem?

2. Read the poem as a whole.

3. Read the poem stanza by stanza (if appropriate.)

4. Paraphrase the poem line by line.

5. Break the lines down word by word if necessary. Substitue familiar words with ones you use every day.

Helpful Hints!

1.  Consider punctuation – a period signals the end of a thought, no matter where it is located in a line.

2.  Rewrite sentences in the usual word order if the sentences are arranged in an unfamiliar word order. 

Second, consider the mechanics of the poem.

a. Is the poem traditional with rhyme and rhythm? Or is the poem free verse with no set rhythm pattern or rhyme scheme?

b. How is the poem organized? Does the shape of the poem have anything to do with the meaning?

c. What poetic devices are used? (These listed are most common.)

Simile – A figure of speech that compares two unlike things, using the words like or as.

Metaphor – A figure of speech that compares two unlike things directly, without the use of an intervening word.

Alliteration – The repitition of consonant sounds at the beginning of the words.

Assonance – The repition of vowel sounds in stressed syllables.

Personification – The assigning of human qualities to nonhuman things.

Onomatopoeia – The use of words to initiate sounds. Ex--WHIZZ

Consonance – The repetition of consonant sounds in stressed syllables.

Apostrophe – The poet directly address an absent person or object or idea.

a.       What is the tone of the author?

b.      What mood does the poem create?

Definitions:

Paraphrase – Restatement in different/other words.

Precis – Concise Summary.

Symbolism –  The use of an object to represent an idea.

Lyric – Poems with a song like quality that are usually short. Poet expresses his personal reaction to things.

Narrative – Poems that tell a story and are usually long. An example would be an epic or a ballad.

Mood – The overall feeling a poem awakens in the reader.

Tone  – The writer's attitude torwards his/her work. 

(Source: cswnet.com)