Poetry Analysis

For this unit, you will be responsible for finding and analyzing several different poems. You may
search the internet for poetry or pick them out of books (and photocopy). I would recommend
choosing poems that are interesting to you as well as poems you can grasp and understand. If
you don’t understand a poem, don’t pick it. You may work with a partner or by yourself to
complete this project. Please refer to the requirements and guidelines below.

1. TPCASTT: You will need to find several different poems to analyze using the TPCASTT
method. If you are working by yourself, you need to analyze at least 125 lines of poetry;
you should have at least four poems. If you are working with a partner, you need to analyze
at least 200 lines of poetry; this should be divided among at least seven poems.
- Print or photocopy the poems you select.
- All of the steps need to be written out on the poem you print. Mark it up like I showed
you how to do in class.
- The poetry you choose needs to have some complexity and should be grade-level
appropriate. That means you should not be selecting super simplistic children’s poetry
(e.g., Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Roald Dahl).
- For the Theme step, you MUST use textual support from the poem to support the
theme you’ve identified and you MUST explain your reasoning. Follow this format:
- One theme of this poem is _______________. For example, the theme is
indicated by the line(s) [Insert words from the poem for support]. This relates
to the theme because _______________. Second, the line(s) also indicate this
theme: [Insert words from the poem for support]. This also supports the theme
because _______________. Finally, the theme is also shown by this example:
[Insert words from the poem for support]. This shows the theme because
_______________.

2. Poetic Devices: You will need to identify at least two of each of the poetic devices listed
below. Use the poems you picked for TPCASTT to do this. You don’t need separate poems
for these. However, if you’re struggling to find examples of the poetic devices listed below
in the poems you’ve chosen to analyze, you may include additional poems to complete this
requirement. If you choose to add poems, you do NOT need to analyze them.
- Create a key and color code your poetic devices OR make sure to label each device.
- Please note, the C step of TPCASTT requires that you find all of the poetic devices in
the poem that you can. When compete, you should not merely have two of each
device listed; you should and will have more.

Alliteration Consonance Metaphor Rhyme Scheme

(label each line
with letters)
Allusion Diction (Word Onomatopoeia Simile
Choice)

Assonance Imagery Personification Symbol

1
3. Poetic Device Analysis: Using the same list of poetic devices from #2, you need to choose
one of each and explain the impact (or purpose) it has on the poem. The questions listed
below may help you explain the impact.
- Does the device help create a concrete image? Are certain images repeated?
- Does it help the reader look at something in a different way?
- Does it help develop the theme?
- Does it help to establish the tone of the poem?
- Does it help to emphasize something?
- Does it add to or influence the meaning of the poem?
- Does it evoke specific emotions?
- Does it appeal to a specific sense (e.g., smell, sound, touch)?
- Do the sound devices or rhyme scheme link lines, create a flow, add unity or
emphasis? If so, why is that important?
- If the idea would have been expressed in another way, how would your reading/
impression of the poem change?

4. Terms Quiz: This is an individual 30 point quiz over poetic devices. You can find a review
sheet on my wiki with a list of terms. While the quiz is mostly definitions, you will also be
asked to identify examples of specific poetic devices.