How How to Analyze to Analyze

a Poema Poem

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• Poets construct poems on purpose Poets construct poems on purpose

• Every word and space has meaningEvery word and space has meaning

• All aspects (parts) of a poem All aspects (parts) of a poem contribute to the meaning contribute to the meaning

• Most poems have many layers to Most poems have many layers to uncoveruncover

Excerpt from poem OneThere was a time when men were kind

When their voices were soft And their words inviting

There was a time when love was blind And the world was a song And the song was exciting

There was a time Then it all went wrong

Elements to AnalyzeElements to Analyze

1)1) Visual ElementsVisual Elements

2)2) Lyric DevicesLyric Devices

3)3) Literal MeaningLiteral Meaning

4)4) Figurative MeaningFigurative Meaning

5)5) ImageryImagery

6)6) Historical contextHistorical context

7)7) ThemeTheme

We look at these parts to We look at these parts to determine the meaning of determine the meaning of the poem—some poets do the poem—some poets do not make use of all devices.not make use of all devices.

As we investigate each part As we investigate each part of the poem, we must ask, of the poem, we must ask, “why did the poem make “why did the poem make use of this device?” “How use of this device?” “How does it contribute to the does it contribute to the poem’s meaning?”poem’s meaning?”

1)Visual elements• Before we even read, do we notice

anything visually • about the poem?

– Is the shape unique?– Do we notice any different uses of punctuation or of another convention?

The Negro Speaks of RiversLangston Hughes

I've known rivers: I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the than the

flow of human blood in human veins. flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln Lincoln

went down to New Orleans, and I've seen went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy its muddy

bosom turn all golden in the sunset. bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers: I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the My soul has grown deep like the riversrivers.

Many people look at this poem and feel that Langston Hughes shaped it like the flow of a river

Night Practice

                             

Iwill

rememberwith my breath

to make a mountain,with my sucked-in breath

a valley, with my pushed-outbreath a mountain. I will make

a valley wider than the whisper, Iwill make a higher mountain than the cry,will with my will breathe a mountain. I will

with my will breathe a valley. I will push outa mountain, suck in a valley, deeper than the shout

YOU MUST DIE harder, heavier, sharper a mountain thanthe truth YOU MUST DIE. I will remember. My breath will

make a mountain. My will will remember to will. I, suck-ing, pushing, I will breathe a valley, I will breathe a mountain.

MAY SWENSON

MAY SWENSON May Swenson

What does What does this shape this shape make you make you think of?think of?

Emily DickinsonEmily Dickinson

I Never Saw a I Never Saw a MoorMoor

I NEVER saw a moor--

I never saw the sea--Yet know I how the heather looks--

And what a wave must be.

I never spoke with God--        5

Nor visited in heaven--Yet certain am I of the spot--

As if the chart were given

in Just-

spring when the world is mud-

luscious the little lame baloonman whistles far and wee

and eddyandbill come running from marbles and piracies

and it's

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old baloonman

whistles far and wee

and bettyandisbel

e e cummingse e cummings

In Just--In Just--

Both of these poems Both of these poems make unique use of make unique use of conventions—we call this conventions—we call this poetic licensepoetic license

1)Visual elements1)Visual elements

• Do we notice that the poem has a specific number of Do we notice that the poem has a specific number of lines or stanzas?lines or stanzas?

• Does the number of lines or stanzas make us think Does the number of lines or stanzas make us think that it might be a specific kind of poem [like haiku or that it might be a specific kind of poem [like haiku or a sonnet?]a sonnet?]

1)Visual elementsWe give stanzas of specific line length names

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer's lease hath all too short a date:And summer's lease hath all too short a date:Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;And every fair from fair sometime declines,And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;But thy eternal summer shall not fadeBut thy eternal summer shall not fadeNor lose possession of that fair thou owest;Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,When in eternal lines to time thou growest:When in eternal lines to time thou growest:So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this and this gives life to thee.So long lives this and this gives life to thee.Couplet

Quatrain

2) Lyric devicesLyric devices are elements that a writer makes Lyric devices are elements that a writer makes

use of to give his/her poem a pleasing sounduse of to give his/her poem a pleasing sound

Think about the songs you like, or childhood Think about the songs you like, or childhood stories, many of them had fun rhymes or stories, many of them had fun rhymes or repetitive soundsrepetitive sounds

Poetry is meant to be read out loud, therefore;it Poetry is meant to be read out loud, therefore;it should sound pleasing to the earshould sound pleasing to the ear

2) Lyric devicesRhyme is the most obvious lyric device

• end rhyme

• rhyme scheme (pattern)

• internal rhyme

• sight rhyme

Do You like green eggs Do You like green eggs and ham?and ham?

I do not like them I do not like them

Sam-I-AmSam-I-Am

I do not like Green EggsI do not like Green Eggs

And ham.And ham.

2) Lyric devicesA

A

B

B

We designate the end We designate the end sound with a letter of sound with a letter of the alphabet. Then we the alphabet. Then we use the letters to graph use the letters to graph a patterna pattern

Rhyme Scheme

Internal Rhyme

Sight Rhyme Internal Rhyme is rhyming within a line.

I awoke to I awoke to blackblack flakflak. .

Words that are spelled alike but that are pronounced differently—said and paid or again and rain.

2) Lyric devices• Another important lyric device is Another important lyric device is

alliterationalliteration

• This is the repetition of same soundsThis is the repetition of same sounds

• The words in a poem can start or end The words in a poem can start or end with the same soundwith the same sound– AssonanceAssonance– Consonance Consonance

Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards

2) Lyric devices• Repetition of words

or phrases creates

certain patterns or

cadences of sound

The tide rises, the tide falls,The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;Along the sea-sands damp and brownThe traveler hastens toward the town,And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Darkness settles on roofs and walls,But the sea, the sea in darkness calls;The little waves, with their soft, white handsEfface the footprints in the sands,And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The morning breaks; the steeds in their stallsStamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;The day returns, but nevermoreReturns the traveler to the shore.And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The Tide Rises, the The Tide Rises, the Tide FallsTide Falls

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

3) Literal 3) Literal MeaningMeaning• Poems have many Poems have many layers of meaninglayers of meaning..

• The literal meaning is the first layer—what is The literal meaning is the first layer—what is happening in the poem?happening in the poem?

• What is the poem about?What is the poem about?• To understand the literal meaning a reader To understand the literal meaning a reader

needs to needs to paraphrase paraphrase [summarize in his/her [summarize in his/her own words]own words]

• Long poems must be paraphrased line by line Long poems must be paraphrased line by line or stanza by stanza in order to be understoodor stanza by stanza in order to be understood

4) Figurative 4) Figurative meaningmeaning

• Figurative devices contribute Figurative devices contribute to a deeper or secondary layer to a deeper or secondary layer of meaningof meaning– Metaphor/simileMetaphor/simile– AllusionAllusion– symbolism symbolism

Metaphors and Metaphors and SimilesSimilesBoth of these devices compare objects that are not alikeBoth of these devices compare objects that are not alike

MetaphorSimile

He is a fox

The car is a cell

I am hot for her

She runs like the wind

Clouds like cotton candy

The rain is falling like cats and dogs.

A metaphor is a direct comparison A metaphor is a direct comparison whereas a simile is an indirect whereas a simile is an indirect comparison. In other words—the two comparison. In other words—the two objects in a metaphor are equal and objects in a metaphor are equal and the objects in a simile are comparablethe objects in a simile are comparable

AllusionAllusionAn allusion is a reference to something outside the An allusion is a reference to something outside the poem. Usually the reference is mythological, poem. Usually the reference is mythological, biblical, historical, literary, or from current events.biblical, historical, literary, or from current events.

PollyannaPollyanna—simplistically looks at the bright side (novel by Eleanor H. Porter)

What bird is associated with new births?--What bird is associated with new births?--stork

The concept of "tilting at windmills" is a literary The concept of "tilting at windmills" is a literary allusion to what?allusion to what? The story of Don Quixote (by Miguel Cervantes)

An act that might let loose many unforeseen An act that might let loose many unforeseen and unmanageable problems might be and unmanageable problems might be described asdescribed as—opening Pandora’s box [Greek Mythology]

SymbolismSymbolismWhen an object stands for another object or an ideaWhen an object stands for another object or an idea

Universal Universal SymbolsSymbols

Particular Particular SymbolsSymbols

When a symbol has basically the same meaning to people of various geographies, time periods and cultures

When a symbol has a unique meaning to a specific group of people and various meanings depending on the group interpreting it.

SymbolismSymbolismColors are often symbolic

Royalty

Nature/ecologyDeath/sorrowDanger

Purity/innocence

Other common symbols

5) IMAGERY5) IMAGERYDetails which use the five senses to describe a vivid mental pictureDetails which use the five senses to describe a vivid mental picture

"Holes in my confidence, holes in the knees of my jeans.”

--Paul Simon

"I was as empty of life as a scarecrow's pockets."

--Raymond ChandlerShe may be the face I can't forget The trace of pleasure or regret May be my treasure or the price I have to pay She may be the song that summer sings May be the chill that autumn brings May be a hundred different things Within the measure of a day

--Elvis Costello

5) IMAGERY5) IMAGERYOften the imagery helps to create the tone, or mood of a poem. We describe tone with words like: lighthearted, somber, suspenseful, introspective, etc.

Once upon a midnight Once upon a midnight drearydreary, , while I pondered, while I pondered, weakweak and and wearyweary,,Over many a Over many a quaint quaint and and curiouscurious volume of volume of forgottenforgotten lore, lore,While I nodded, nearly While I nodded, nearly nappingnapping, , suddenly there came a tapping,suddenly there came a tapping,As of someone gently rapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.rapping at my chamber door." 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, " 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;"tapping at my chamber door;Only this, and nothing more."Only this, and nothing more."

The Raven--Edgar Allan Poe

                                                            

                                                                       

What What images images can you can you pick out pick out of this of this poem? poem? What What tone do tone do they they evoke?evoke?

6 ) Historical 6 ) Historical ContextContextSometimes, in order to understand a poem, the reader needs to understand Sometimes, in order to understand a poem, the reader needs to understand

the history of the time period during which it was written. Or, sometimes it the history of the time period during which it was written. Or, sometimes it is important to know something about the poet, in order to get the full is important to know something about the poet, in order to get the full impact of the poem’s meaning.impact of the poem’s meaning.

When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd,When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd,And the great star early droop'd iun the western sky in the night,And the great star early droop'd iun the western sky in the night,I mourn'd, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring. I mourn'd, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.

Ever-returning spring trinity sure to me you bring,Ever-returning spring trinity sure to me you bring,Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,

And thought of him I love.And thought of him I love.

--Walt Whitman If the reader didn’t If the reader didn’t know this poem was know this poem was written about Lincoln’s written about Lincoln’s assassination, it assassination, it wouldn’t make as much wouldn’t make as much sense.sense.

So,So,

What’s the What’s the Point?Point?

You askYou ask..

We analyze a poem to find We analyze a poem to find the meaningthe meaning

We look at all of the parts to We look at all of the parts to determine the wholedetermine the whole

We pick it apart to see what We pick it apart to see what the poet has hidden for usthe poet has hidden for us

We are trying to figure out theWe are trying to figure out the

THEMETHEMEMy trick:

Theme = The me(ssage)

What lesson, truth or message is the poet trying to impart to us? Usually it can be stated in one sentence. Theme is not the subject.

If you can point back to the poem and show where you got the theme, you cannot be wrong. However, some interpretations can be more right based on correct interpretation of symbolism, allusion or other parts of the poem.