How to Interpret a Poem
How to Interpret a Poem
Reading a poem is a lot different than reading a short story or informational text. To figure out what a poem means you need to look at more than just the meaning of the words on the page. In fact, if you only focus on the literal meaning of the words, you might have a hard time figuring out what the poem is about.
Reading a Poem
Interpreting a poem successfully starts the moment you begin to read the poem. As you read the poem, follow these steps:
- Look at the title
- Pay attention to the setting, topic, or any words or ideas that clue you in to the poem's meaning
- Read the ending of the poem and try to figure out how it all ends
- Look at the organization of the poem and figure out if different sections cover different aspects of the topic. For example, is there a climax or a twist in the poem?
- Listen to the tone of the poem and note any words that help you figure out what the tone is
- Read the poem out loud to see if it changes how you interpret the poem's meaning
Interpreting a Poem
Once you've carefully read a poem, you can start to interpret it. To interpret a poem, answer the following questions:
- What is the genre or form of the poem? Look at the content of the poem and the way it is organized. Does it remind you of a particular genre or form? For example, if a poem contains three lines and is about nature, you might infer that it is a haiku. If it has 14 lines, it might be a sonnet.
- Who is speaking in the poem? The speaker is like the narrator of the poem. Knowing who is speaking in a poem can help you figure out what the poem is about.
- What is the subject of the poem? It may be hard to figure out the exact meaning of the poem, but look at the words and ideas in the poem and try to figure out the basic subject or topic of the poem. For example, a dark poem that talks about spirits may be about death.
- What is the structure of the poem? The structure of a poem describes less how the poem looks on the page and more how the ideas are organized within the poem. A poem may tell a story or give details in a sequence or the poem may be organized by a question/answer, cause/effect, or other common organizational structure.
- What is the setting of the poem? Like a story, a poem can have a setting. Knowing where the poem takes place can help you understand what the poem is about. A poet may use the setting to create a mood or to share important details.
- Does the poem use any imagery? Poets often use imagery to help get their meaning across. Pay attention to how the author uses words and descriptions to connect to the five senses.
- Are there any key statements in the poem? Some words and phrases in a poem stick out more than others. These words can often be clues to a poem's meaning. Look for words and phrases that repeat, that are italicized, or that are set apart from the other words in the poem.
- Does the sound of the poetry have an effect on its meaning? Sometimes authors use sounds to make the poem more attractive. Other times they use sound to add to the meaning of the poem. Look at the poem's meter, rhyme scheme, and use of techniques such as alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia. Determine whether these elements add to the meaning of the poem or are just there for show.
- What kinds of words does the poem use? Poets choose their words very carefully. For example, an author may use the word chariot instead of cart or stallion instead of horse. The types of words a poet uses can help you understand the theme and mood of a poem.
- What does the poem say about life or the world? At the end of the day, the goal of interpreting a poem is to figure out what it is all about. Using all of the answers to the questions above, come up with one or two sentences that explain the point of the poem. What overall message does it give? Do you agree with what it says?
Use the questions above to answer the practice questions, and then complete the worksheet below.
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