Poetry is written in lines and stanzas instead of in sentences and paragraphs. Because of the genre’s unique format, poets often express ideas in compact and concise language, and reading and analyzing a short poem may take as much time and effort as analyzing an essay or a short story. To grasp the meaning of a poem, pay attention to the sound and meaning of individual words and consider how the words work together to convey meaning. Use the following general guidelines to read and analyze poetry effectively.
Learning Style Options
As you read, annotate the poem, highlighting striking elements (figures of speech, symbols, revealing character descriptions, striking dialogue, and the like) and recording your reactions (A sample annotated passage appears in Figure 25.3). Pay particular attention to the following.
“With thoughts of the path back, how rough it was” (line 5) | The couple’s past has been difficult; returning to daily life may be difficult, too. Nature is rough and challenging. |
. . . “This is all,” they sighed, “Good-night to woods.”. . . (lines 13–14) | The couple will soon come to the end — of their relationship or their lives. |