Poetry Explication

Description

Identify the broad elements of the poem – the voice, subject, conflicts, and tone of the poem. Consider the details of the poem. What form is the poem in? How does the speaker use rhetoric in the poem? How does the speaker use syntax? Does the use of subjects, verbs, and objects reveal anything about the speaker? Consider the poet’s diction. Why does the poet choose certain words over others? Research words or phrases you do not know. Identify patterns and relationships. Look for: Rhetorical Patterns, Rhyming, Imagery, Patterns in sound like alliteration and assonance, Visual patterns, and Rhythm and meter. Refer to the speaking voice in the poem as “the speaker.” For example, do not write, “In this poem, Wordsworth says that London is beautiful in the morning.” However, you can write, “In this poem, Wordsworth presents a speaker who…” We cannot absolutely identify Wordsworth with the speaker of the poem, so it is more accurate to talk about “the speaker”. Use the present tense when writing the explication. The poem, as a work of literature, continues to exist!