Can you Catch the Drift?
There are two ways to respond to poetry: personal analysis and technical analysis.
1. Personal analysis is, as its name suggests, personal in nature. It involves the reader writing down or discussing his/her thoughts and feelings about the poem and connections to his/her life experiences.
2. Technical analysis focuses on the technical parts of the poem:
Diction: Select the words and phrases that stand out and provide the impact; look up any new words in the dictionary.
Rhyme/rhythm: What is the rhyme and rhythm? Does the rhyme impact the poem’s message? Is there a rhyme scheme?
Imagery: (metaphors, similes, symbolism etc.) What poetic devices are being used in the poem? What is being compared in the poem? Is there an allusion to a famous person or place? Is the metaphor extended or repeated throughout the whole poem? Do the symbols represent good or evil, love or hate?
Form: Style of layout or the type of poem. What impact does the form have on the meaning of the poem?
Tone: The tone reflects the poet’s attitude towards the subject through word choices insofar as they express feelings.
The Poems
"The Bull Calf" by Irving Layton
"Dreams" by Langston Hughes
"Mending Wall" by Robert Frost
"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost: link to video intro
"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden: link to animated version of the poem
"Firework" by Katy Perry: link to video
There are two ways to respond to poetry: personal analysis and technical analysis.
1. Personal analysis is, as its name suggests, personal in nature. It involves the reader writing down or discussing his/her thoughts and feelings about the poem and connections to his/her life experiences.
2. Technical analysis focuses on the technical parts of the poem:
Diction: Select the words and phrases that stand out and provide the impact; look up any new words in the dictionary.
Rhyme/rhythm: What is the rhyme and rhythm? Does the rhyme impact the poem’s message? Is there a rhyme scheme?
Imagery: (metaphors, similes, symbolism etc.) What poetic devices are being used in the poem? What is being compared in the poem? Is there an allusion to a famous person or place? Is the metaphor extended or repeated throughout the whole poem? Do the symbols represent good or evil, love or hate?
Form: Style of layout or the type of poem. What impact does the form have on the meaning of the poem?
Tone: The tone reflects the poet’s attitude towards the subject through word choices insofar as they express feelings.
The Poems
"The Bull Calf" by Irving Layton
"Dreams" by Langston Hughes
- Video #1: Dreams
- Video #2: Dreams
"Mending Wall" by Robert Frost
"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost: link to video intro
"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden: link to animated version of the poem
"Firework" by Katy Perry: link to video