Poetry is one of the oldest forms of expression, yet many people shy away from reading this genre because they fail to understand it. Poetry can soothe a broken heart, provide a melody to a love affair or even entwine historical facts. Follow these simple tips, and you will be able to find the meaning in a poem in no time.
Instructions
1. Read through the entire poem. Before trying to take apart the poem, just take a minute to read it as the poet intended. Listen to how the words flow together. You may even want to read it out aloud in order to really hear the "sounds" of the poem.
2. Read each sentence by itself. Sometimes a sentence will flow over onto the next line. Instead of looking at it as the poem is written, read each sentence individually. You may be able to start piecing ideas together.
3. Consider the deeper meaning. Just as we use slang today to express different thoughts and ideas, so do poets use different expressions or words to mean different things. Don't take everything at face value. Ask yourself what else the phrase could mean.
4. Understand the poet. Take some time to read a little about the poet in order to understand what kind of poetry they liked to write. If they seemed to be a romantic, then their poem may have more to do with love. If they seem to indulge in historical facts, they may have been trying to be satirical. You may also want to read some of their other poems just to get an idea of what kind of topics are common in their works.
5. Identify the time period. Poets tend to write about things that are happening around them. If they were alive during the World War II era, they may be writing about a whole different subject than if they were to write about our world as it is now. Knowing a little more about when the poem was written can definitely assist you in truly learning the meaning of the poem. You will be rewarded for your efforts.
