Analysing a poem means exploring what it says and how it says it. Consider language (imagery, word choice, sound), form (the type of poem and its pattern) and structure (how ideas develop and change).
In a poem about the Harmattan wind, the first stanzas focus on hardship: dust, cracked lips and hidden stars. The fourth begins with “But look”, turning to softer light and strangers sharing water.
A turn, or volta, often reveals the poem's deeper meaning. Here it suggests that shared hardship can bring people together.
Worked example
What does the simile “Our lips split like the dry bed of the stream” suggest?
- A dry stream bed cracks in the heat.
- The comparison shows how harsh and drying the wind is.
Answer:The wind is so dry it cracks skin like parched earth.
Key words
- form
- the type and shape of a poem
- volta
- a turn or shift in a poem
- imagery
- language that creates sensory pictures
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: RL.9-10.4