Writing about poetry

Writing about one poem
First, before planning your essay, consider

What is your immediate reaction to the poem? – Is it to do with its mood? The images in the poem? The sound of the lines? The message?

What do you think the poet’s aim is in the poem? – Could be to entertain; to make a political point; to describe a particular scene or person etc.

What is the theme or idea behind the poem? How obvious is this?

Why do you think the writer chose to write a poem rather than a piece of prose or draw a picture etc

Now plan your essay.

Introduction

Start with a brief sentence indicating the most significant aspect of the poem: could be theme, images, tone. Indicate what the theme and structure are (e.g. ‘The sonnet form is traditionally associated with the theme of love and here Wordsworth expresses his admiration for London.’).
Following paragraphs

Work through the poem, showing how the style reinforces the theme and the poet’s attitude. You need to be commenting closely on style but don’t just list/ identify stylistic devices: you must indicate what effect they have in creating a clear image/ underlining the atmosphere/ creating a sense of humour etc. Quotation is essential.
Conclusion

Avoid repeating points you’ve already made. Consider what do you now see as most important about the poem? What message is made clear by the end? You might know of some other poem/ passage/ image which makes an interesting comparison. You might give some indication of how the poem relates to the context in which it was written, e.g. how it increases your understanding of a historical/ cultural/ social situation.
If you are writing on two poems

The initial thinking is the same, considering each of these questions for each poem.

Then consider why/ how the two poems are interesting to compare. Are they similar or different? They are likely to have both similarities and differences, obviously, but consider which of these are most significant and most interesting.
Introduction

Start with a brief sentence, indicating the most significant aspect of the poems, indicating whether this is shared or a point of difference (e.g. ‘War is the setting for both poems but …’ or ‘Although one is set in the war and the other in a school, the poems share a sense of the futility…’).

Following paragraphs

Probably best to work through one poem, as if only studying one; then make a linking sentence and then start on second, providing some comments about parallels/ contrasts as you deal with the second.

Conclusion

Draw points together, emphasising the interesting points of similarity and difference. Consider the points raised in the prompt for writing on one poem. Try not to repeat points from earlier in the essay, or only mention briefly.

Poetic devices/ literary terms
alliteration
assonance
imagery
metaphor
simile
repetition
rhyme
rhythm
oomatopoeia
verse
stanza
ballad
sonnet
free verse
blank verse
narrative
dramatic monologue
satire

Poetry Podcasts

If you want to try something different for revision and can put up with listening to Mr Peachey for a few minutes, you might want to try listening to (or downloading) these revision MP3 files: Charles Causley's 'Nursery Rhyme of Innocence and Experience' and Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est'.

Midwinter Spring

Midwinter spring is its own season

Sempiternal though sodden towards sundown,

Suspended in time, between pole and tropic.

When the short day is brightest, with frost and fire,

The brief sun flames the ice, on pond and ditches,

In windless cold that is the heart's heat,

Reflecting in a watery mirror

A glare that is blindness in the early afternoon.

And glow more intense than blaze of branch, or brazier,

Stirs the dumb spirit: no wind, but pentecostal fire

In the dark time of the year. Between melting and freezing

The soul's sap quivers. There is no earth smell

Or smell of living thing. This is the spring time

But not in time's covenant. Now the hedgerow

Is blanched for an hour with transitory blossom

Of snow, a bloom more sudden

Than that of summer, neither budding nor fading,

Not in the scheme of generation.

Where is the summer, the unimaginable

Zero summer?




Want to read more? Click here for the rest of T.S. Eliot's 'Little Gidding'.

A Poetic Visit

A group of Sixth Formers welcomed poet Anne Stevenson into their A Level English class on 2 February to speak about 'Correspondences', the set of historical poems which she wrote in the 1970's. Anne Stevensonengaged the group with her explanation of the background to this distinguished work, describing how her personal history contributed to its composition.

Anne Stevenson's lovely sense of humour and her lucid explanations provided an insight into her work as a poet and the students were thrilled to have the opportunity to ask their own questions and to formulate further ideas for their comparative coursework on women in society.

To read more about Anne Stevenson's poetry click here, here, here or here. 

Robert Burns

Just in case you're preparing for Burns Night and are looking for a grand, wee poem ...