Read the poem once for overall meaning
Read it again more slowly
Notice the title
Identify the speaker
Identify the audience, if any
Pay attention to word choice
Look for imagery
Look for figurative language
Notice sound devices
Observe line breaks
Observe stanza structure
Check rhythm and meter
Identify the poem’s tone
Identify the theme
Look for repeated words or ideas
Consider the historical and cultural context
Read aloud
Reread difficult lines
Use punctuation as a guide
Ask what changes from beginning to end
Ask what the poem makes you feel
Compare literal meaning and deeper meaning
Look up unfamiliar words
Reflect on how form supports meaning
Read other poems by the same poet