STEPS FOR INTERPRETING

POEMS

English 8

STEP 1

Read the poem through• What is your first impression? (Do

you like it? How do you feel?)• What do you think the title means?

STEP 2

Reread the poem and underline

things that you think are important to

the meaning• What is the tone? (dreary, serious,

funny, etc.)

STEP 3

Star (*) any literary devices you see

Circle any words you don’t know

Make a guess at what the devices and

words mean

STEP 4

Look for rhyme scheme

Look for a format• Type of poem (limerick, haiku,

sonnet, etc.)

STEP 5

Who is the speaker? (1st, 2nd, 3rd

person?)

STEP 6

What is the theme or message of the

poem?

STEP 7

Once you have gone through all of the

steps, take a guess at what the poem

means