Poetry

1. How to Read a Poem (3-Step Reading Method)

First Reading – Overall Impression

1. Read the poem silently all the way through.
2. Identify and define any unfamiliar words.
3. Get a general sense of the tone, subject, and voice.
4. Jot down initial emotions or reactions.
5. Spot any strong connotations.

Second Reading – Sound & Language

1. Read the poem aloud if possible—listen for rhythm and tone.
2. Pay attention to punctuation, pauses, and phrasing.
3. Highlight sound devices: alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, rhyme, etc.
4. Ask: How do the sound patterns shape the mood or impact?

Third Reading – Structure & Meaning

1. Analyse figurative language: metaphors, similes, personification, symbolism.
2. Look at form: sonnet? free verse? quatrains? rhymed couplets?
3. Translate the poem into plain prose—what’s it saying?
4. Reflect on theme, message, and emotional arc.

2. Poetic Terms & Techniques

Imagery (sensory language)

1. Visual – sight ("bright blue sky")
2. Aural – sound ("whispers in the wind")
3. Olfactory – smell ("the scent of burnt toast")
4. Tactile – touch ("frozen skin")
5. Gustatory – taste ("bitter words")
6. Organic – internal sensations ("knees trembling")

Figurative Language

Structure and Form

1. Stanza – a grouped set of lines
2. Quatrain – 4-line stanza
3. Couplet – 2 rhyming lines
4. Caesura – a pause within a line
5. Enjambment – a sentence continues past the end of a line
6. Refrain – repeated phrase or line
7. Free verse – no regular rhythm/rhyme
8. Dramatic monologue – speaker addresses a silent listener

Sound Devices

3. How to Analyse a Poem – Acronym Strategies:

SCASNI (for first impressions)