How to Write Poetry Analysis

Poetry analysis, also sometimes referred to as a poem review, is a reflection on a poem that involves analyzing the poetic instruments, discussing the language and the figures used by the author, as well as sharing one’s personal position on the poem. When it comes to poetry analysis, one has to go beyond just reviewing the words and phrases used, but instead see the bigger picture, try to read between the lines and understand what has driven the poet to use a particular word combination. Thus, poetry analysis requires some primary research on the author of the poem, as well as some background and history behind the poem’s creation.

Steps for Writing a Poetry Analysis

  1. Read the poem twice. Try to analyze your first impression of it and write down a few comments.
  2. Research the author of the poem if you are not familiar with them yet, and the history of the poem’s creation. Try to find out what inspired the poet and what gave rise to the idea for this particular poem, whether it was a reflection on what the poet personally experienced or witnessed, etc.
  3. Read the poem once again, this time slower. Try to pay attention to the particular word selection, organization of the poem and poetic figures used, etc.
  6. Give your personal reflection of the poem – what you think it is about (normally, there is a figurative sense behind every poem). Here you can go back to your primary research about the author and the poem’s history.

Topic Selection

A common mistake that many students make when choosing a poem to analyze is picking the one which is the shortest, since the poem’s length is often associated with its complexity. However, the shortest poems can be the most difficult to analyze, as they often convey their meaning in sharp and tactful ways. Taking this into consideration, don’t rush when choosing a topic; if a teacher didn’t assign you a specific poem, conduct a thorough selection. Read through the poems you liked several times, and choose the one that you understand best of all, or that evokes intense sentiments in you.


Key Points to Consider

  • Sometimes you are simply given a poem to analyze without a particular title already assigned. In other cases, you have a thesis statement or an argument to base your poetry analysis on, and you have to argue for, or against, the statement given by your professor. It might seem easier to write about the poem in general, however, this isn’t always the case. Even if you are given the freedom to choose a poem for analysis and write it in your own way, we still suggest that you pick a certain critical question or subject for your poetry analysis, just like you would for a critical or argumentative essay. Use the analysis of poetic figures and literary devices, language and rhyme, to make your point and support your argument.
  • When analyzing the theme that the author depicted in the poem, think of the time when it was written, and try to relate the events described by the poet to the general situation at the time. Another tip is to compare how this author described particular events, to the way these same events were described in other literary pieces.
  • Think of who the author addresses in the poem. Is it to people in general, to their pen pal or colleague, to the reigning crown, to rebels or to nature, etc. Think of how the author feels about the supposed reader, whether he supports, or condemns their readership.
  • When reading the poem, for the second and third time, highlight or underline the phrases or separate words that are most powerful, colorful or distinctive. You might get a different impression every time, so it is useful to preserve your memories and feelings from every new reading.
  • Sometimes it is more effective to read the poem out loud, using certain voice changes (speed, pitch, volume and mood of your voice), depending on how the poem develops.

Do and Don’t


  • Do be sure that you identify each poetic device properly. Be able to distinguish between metaphor (a poetic comparison) and metonymy (using a symbol to stand for what it represents), a hyperbole (an exaggeration) and a synecdoche (when a part is used instead of the whole), for example.


Common Mistakes

  • Writing a shallow, superficial poetry analysis is probably the most common mistake students make. Go beyond simply describing the story and the theme of the poem. Try to guess what message the author intended to bring across, what they really meant when using the description of natural phenomena or inanimate objects.



Samples for Poetry Analysis

Poetry Analysis Sample

The poem under review in this paper is The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, which is a composition by Christopher Marlowe. It uses a pastoral setting and appeal to evoke an idealized image of rural life in the reader's mind. When focusing on the f...
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Poetry Analysis

"A Poet to His Beloved" by famed Irish Revival poet William Butler Yeats is a succinct dedication to a lover, but with a bittersweet feel. Employing exacting and florid metaphors, Yeats lulls us to a climatic end in a just a few lines. The powe...

Poetry Analysis Sample

The poem under analysis is taken from a compilation of works by William Blake—Songs of Innocence and Experience, and is called The Little Black Boy. William Blake was a British poet and painter. Most of his works belong to the literary ...