Quick Reference Guide: How to Read and Annotate a Poem

1. Author/Context Who is the author of the poem? What do we know about him/her and the time/period in which s/he lived? What kind of poetry does he/she tend to write? 2. Initial Read-through Begin by doing an initial read-through of the poem for a general understanding, and make a note of the overall topic or theme (one sentence maximum). As you go through the following steps, return to your description of the theme and revise it to be more specific. 3. Title What is the title of the poem, and what is its significance? What does that tell us about the topic? 4. Paraphrase Develop an overall paraphrase of the poem. What is the poem generally about? (this may or may not be revealed in the title). What is the plot what happens? 5. Speaker/Poetic Voice Who is the speaker? What do we know about him or her based on the poem? What is the occasion for this poem? Why is the poet writing this poem at this time? 6. Audience Who is the intended audience of this poem? What is the authors attitude toward the reader? What assumptions are being made about the reader? 7. Diction As you read, mark any words or phrases that stand out to you. Look up any unfamiliar vocabulary (www.oed.com). What kinds of words is the poet choosing? What is their denotation and connotation? Are the words concrete or abstract? Is the poet using a higher poetic diction or attempting to mimic common speech? Why? 8. Tone What is the tone of the poem? How is that tone constructed through the diction and other devices? Is the poem serious? Ironic? Contemplative? How else would you describe it? 9. Use of Figurative Language and Rhetorical Devices Look for any and all of the following: metaphor, simile, personification, metonymy, synecdoche, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, irony,

hyperbole, allusion, pun, paradox, oxymoron, litotes, allegory, symbolism. 10. Allusions Note any allusions. What is the poem alluding to and why? (Other poems, literature, current or historical events, Greek or Roman mythology, etc) 11. Structure and Rhyme a) Scan and note the meter and rhythm of the poem. b) Identify the form of the poem. Is it an established, structured form (i.e. sonnet, rhyming couplets, etc)? c) Determine the meter (iambic, tetrameter, alexandrines, etc). d) What is the rhyme scheme (abba, cdecde, etc)? e) Are there any deviations from these patterns? f) If so, are these deviations in form linked to the context of whats happening in the poem? 12. Punctuation How does the poet use punctuation? What punctuation appears frequently in the poem? 13. Imagery What kinds of images (or details from the other 4 senses) appear in the poem? How do they affect the tone and meaning? 14. Syntax How are the sentences constructed (where are the nouns and verbs)? Do they sound like ordinary language? Are they inverted syntactically? How long are the sentences? Where do they begin and end? Are there instances of enjambment? 15. What strikes you? Make a brief note about what strikes you (is it the sound or the sense?) Why is this moment important in the poem? 16. Reread Reread the poem and divide it into sections that seem natural to it, either thematically or structurally. Is there a specific turn (volta) in the poem? Where? 17. Self-Consciousness Be especially aware of ways in which the poem seems to be self-conscious, that is, aware of its own form as a poem; what is the status of poetry within the poem? What does it mean for this message to be conveyed in verse form? 18. Meaning and Values How does each of the above elements affect the meaning of the poem? What is the poet trying to say? Does he/she succeed? What is the overall effect of the poem?