Studying poetry can be difficult at times . . . for levels of understanding differs depending on many factors . . . in parts, perhaps, one's own experiences for identification . . . or similar feelings to be projected into one's understanding of certain literary works . . . As a student of literature, I would like to share a few of techniques or ways that I learned to empathize with poetry. Including a few terms that may have been introduced to many of us, and are open to discussion and individual interpretation. As the followings: In understanding certain works, we may find it helpful to consider several questions, and attempt to answer these questions base on our knowledge of the poetic elements. A few of these questions may be but are not limited to : (suggested by Michael Meyer's anthology) 1. Who is the speaker? Is it possible to determine the speaker's age, sex, sensibilities, level of awareness, and values? 2.Is the speaker addressing anyone in particular? 3.How do you respond to the speaker? Favorably? Negatively? What is the situation? Are there any special circumstances that inform what the speaker says? 4. Is there a specific setting of time and place? 5. Does reading the poem aloud help you to understand it? 6. Does a paraphrase reveal the basic purpose of the poem? 7. What does the title emphasize? 8. Is the theme presented directly or indirectly? 9. Do any allusions enrich the poem's meaning? 10. How does the diction reveal meaning? Are any words repeated Do any carry evocative connotative meanings? Are there any puns or other form of verbal wit? 11. Are figures of speech used? How does the figurative langugage contribute to the poem's vividness and meaning? 12. Do any objects, persons, places, events, or actions have allegorical or symbolic meanings? What other details in the poem support your interpretation? 13. Is irony used? Are there any examples of situational irony, verbal irony, or dramatic irony? Is understatement or paradox used? 14. What is the tone of the poem? Is the tone consistent? 15. Does the poem use onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, or alliteration? How do these sounds affect you? 16. What sounds are repeated? If there are rhymes, what is their effect? Do they seem forced or natural? Is there a rhyme scheme? Do the rhymes contribute to the poem's meaning? 17. Do the lines have a regular meter? What is the predominant meter? Are there significant variations? Does the rhythm seem appropriate for the tone of the poem? as you can see, many of these questions already involve you, as a reader, to ponder about what poetic elements are present, and why they are present... since poetry is a very concise form of literature... a very condense form... repetitions of any sorts can be of emphasis to the theme or meaning or essentially what the author attempt to say or create.... There are many possible elements that a poet can utilize. However, that does not necessarily mean all of the possible elements will be present in any one poem. Thus, which elements and the way the poet chooses to use the elements does matter. Since this entry has already become too lengthy, I shall continue in the next entries rather than writing them all here. <<to be continued>> -- Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself. ~ Plato --

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