Annotating for Analysis


When you read the poem a second time, be an active reader: ask questions and make notations.

  1. Reread 6 of the 9 poems:
  • Preview the poem's format. Look at the poem's title. Can you find the line that relates to the title? How are they connected? Think about why the author may have chosen this title.
  • Pay close attention to words that stand out. Identify all poetic techniques or elements used in the poem, either on a sticky note or by writing in the margins in pencil or highlighting with an erasable highlighter.
    • e.g.,  stanza, symbols, diction, rhyme, rhyme scheme, allusions, metaphor, simile, alliteration, repetition, onomatopoeia, personification, juxtaposition, metonymy, synecdoche, hyperbole, pun, wit, humour, euphony, cacophony, scansion, versification, metrical feet, etc.
  • Write down questions you may have in relation to the poem. Identify the line that relates to the title. How are they connected?
  • Circle words that stand out, either because you do not understand them or because they create an image in your mind.
  • Use thinking notes to help make sense of the poem.


Courtesy of Public Domain

 


  1. Finally, read the poems you've selected for a third time. This time, look at the words you have circled, the questions you have asked, the thinking notes you have made. Can you make connections between those and the author's message or main idea?

In addition to the Glossary terms at the end of the Poetry tutorial, these sites also provide extensive lists of poetry terms and definitions.
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