HOW TO ANALYSE A POEM

Part 1 of 2: Determining What the Poem Means

1
Read the poem once silently to yourself slowly. The first time you read through a poem, record any gut
reactions you have to the poem: any emotional connections you have with what the author is saying,
reminders of personal detailed experiences, things you like or dislike, etc. Think in terms of, How do I feel
about this? Why? Why not? These reactions can help you focus on the type of response the poet is looking
for in a reader.[1]
For example, read Bliss Carmens The Vagabond Song. Your first impressions may be ones of
brightly colored leaves, edged in frost. Or summer turning to fall. It may call up memories of time
spent in the woods when the leaves are all changing.[2]

2
Read the poem again and find the literal meaning of the poem. The literal meaning is the most
straightforward version of the poem and does not refer to any poetic devices. Translate the poem into
conversational English. How would you tell the poems story to a friend? Think in terms of, Whats the
most common dictionary definition of this word or phrase? This can be a difficult step, but remember that
all good poetry, even when it seems incredibly inaccessible, is still based on words that carry literal
meaning.[3]
For The Vagabond Song, the story is of the poet witnessing the change from summer to fall. He
feels like fall is the most captivating season, and it sets his blood going to think of the leaves
changing

3
Read the poem again to find the connotative meaning of the poem. Take several keywords or phrases
from the poem and consider the kinds of connotations they carry. Think in terms of, Why this word and not
another? Refer to your first reactions: often connotative meanings, rather than denotative, are what engage
our emotions.
o Take the word mother, for example. The dictionary would define mother as a female
parent. OK, but the word mother probably creates emotions and feelings in you: it paints a
picture in your mind. You may think of love and security or you may think of your own
mother. The emotions and feelings that a word creates are called its connotative meaning.
o For The Vagabond Song, take the phrase gypsy blood. Technically gypsy blood means
the blood of someone who is of Romani descent. Yet in the poem, the connotation of gypsy

blood is that of a wandering spirit. The poet may have home or permanent place to live, but
when the fall season comes, he suddenly feels restless.

4
Find the symbolic meaning of the poem. Record any allusions you recognize, references to symbols, etc.
Think in terms of, What could this stand for? Why?
o In The Vagabond Song, consider the word native. The line reads, There is something in
the autumn that is native to my blood. Native in this case, does not mean that the speaker
was born with autumn in his blood. Instead it is a symbolic representation of the concept that
the speaker feels like he was born to be a part of the autumn, that he feels most alive in the
autumn, and that autumn is an inherent part of himself. Native means intrinsic, siren-like, and
joy-inspiring.
o For another example, consider the word "light." This may not refer to the literal condition that
means the opposite of darkness; often "light" is used to symbolize knowledge, truth, peace,
joy, or spirituality.

5
Stop and ask yourself, What is the author trying to say? What is his goal for this poem? What kind of
a reaction is he trying to get out of readers? Why? Try to identify the authors purpose for writing.
o For The Vagabond Song, Carmens purpose for writing is to celebrate the transition from
summer to fall. He wants to express the feelings he gets when the leaves begin to change and
a sudden restlessness grips him.
Part 2 of 2: Figuring Out What Poetic Tools are Present

1
Begin to analyze the different parts of the poem. Analysis from here on out will help you
examine how the author accomplishes that affect or meets that goal, rather than what that effect or goal is.
This means exploring poetic devices, tone of voice, audience, and more.

2
Identify the speaker and audience. Is there a specific person talking? Is the speaker the poet? Even if the
speaker is the poet, you should always refer to the speaker as the speaker in your analysis. In regards to the
audience, who is the speaker addressing? Is there a specific group? Does the audience help to define who the
speaker is?
o The speaker of The Vagabond Song is the poet. He addresses all of the other vagabonds,
those people called to movement by the changing of the leaves. However, to him, the

vagabonds are everyone who delights in the changes the fall brings--not necessarily actual
vagabonds.

3
Determine the poems structure and organization. Does the poem follow a narrative? Are there ideas
grouped together in different sections? Does each stanza cover a separate topic, or is there a continued theme
throughout the poem? How is the poem physically organized--it is one long poem, or does it have stanzas or
separate lines?
o The Vagabond Song has three stanzas composed of four lines each. The whole poem
discusses the theme of being inspired by nature (the fall.)

4
Determine the rhyme scheme of the poem. There are many different kinds of rhyme schemes. Rhymes are
used to give the poem a musical, pleasing sound. They can also be used to deepen meaning, and strengthen
the form of the poem. Is there any meaning behind the placement of the rhymes? Does it put emphasis on a
specific idea within the poem?[4]
o End rhymes are one of the most common forms of rhymes. When the last word of a line
rhymes with another last word of a rhyme, this is considered an end rhyme. In The
Vagabond Song, the lines And my lonely spirit thrills/To see the frosty asters like a smoke
upon the hills are an example of lines that have end rhymes.
o Internal rhymes are when words in the middle of line rhyme with other words in the middle
of a different line. In a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, he writes The fair breeze blew,
the white foam flew blew and flew are examples of internal rhymes.
o True rhymes are words that rhyme exactly. For example, the words cat and rat are perfect
rhymes.
o Off-rhymes are words that almost rhyme, but do not rhyme exactly. These are also called
slant rhymes. For example, the words fate and saint are off rhymes--they sound very
similar, but very subtly end in a different way. Off rhymes use assonance and consonance.
Assonance is when the vowels of two words rhyme, while consonance is when the constants
of two words are the same.

5
Analyze the poem in terms of poetic devices. Look for tools of sound (alliteration, assonance, etc.),
imagery (sensory detail, word pictures, etc.) and so forth. Think in terms of, "What kind of language tools is
this author using? How do those tools help him accomplish his goal?"[5]
o What imagery does the author use? Does he use metaphor, simile, orpersonification? In The
Vagabond Song, Carmen personifies fall, saying that she is a woman and that she calls and
calls each vagabond by name. By making the fall into a woman, Carmen draws parallels
between the idea of a seductive woman tempting him with the fall calling him to the
wilderness to revel in its beauty.

o
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Does the poet use alliteration? Alliteration is when words in a line begin with the same letter.
An example would be, the terrifying tiger tackled the traumatized toad.
How would you define the poems language (or diction?) Did the author choose to put
specific words in the poem for a reason? Is the language flowery? Stark? Sad? In The
Vagabond Song, the diction is whimsical but filled with passion. The color red, which is the
color of passion, is referred to throughout the poem. Blood, crimson leaves, scarlet maples,
and hills of flame all make an appearance in the poem lending the poem a sense of vitality
and passion.

6
Draw your conclusions. What is the theme or goal of the poem? What tools did the poet use to convey the
theme or main idea of the poem? How did he or she use them? If you are assigned to do so, write down your
findings in an analytical essay.
http://www.wikihow.com/Analyze-Poetry