Use a minimum of 5 elements from the chapter introductions to help you annotate the poem. Consider the following questions to better understand the use of literary elements within the poems:
After reading the poem aloud, what questions pop into your thoughts? Jot them down in the margin of the page.
Identify all words that stand out, familiar and unfamiliar.
Who is the speaker? What are you able to determine regarding the speaker’s age, sex, sensibilities, level of awareness and values? Is the speaker addressing anyone in particular?
How have you (the reader) responded to the speaker? Favorably? Negatively?
What is the situation? Are there any special circumstances that inform what the speaker says?
What does the title emphasize?
Is the theme presented directly or indirectly?
Do any allusions enrich the poem’s meaning?
What is the tone? mood?
What is the theme of the poem?
What kind of strategies does the author use to point out the theme?
What are the tone and mood of the poem? Remember they are different!
What kind of strategies does the author use to make the mood clear?
How does the figurative language impact the poem as a whole?