1. Introduction:
Poems are craftily written. Most poems on the surface are full of rhyme, meter, and
alliteration, but there is more to a poem than what meets the eye. Analysis of poetry can
decipher the hidden meaning behind the word structure.
Task:
choice.
After learning about poem analysis, you will search for and analyze a poem of
Process:
Section 1: Identifying Poetic Devices
Read the Article “Poetic Devices.”
When you are finished, go to the poetry board on Pinterest and complete one poetry devise
project. Afterwards, use your project to identify all poetic devises in the poem below.
Across the Bay
By Donald Davie
A queer thing about those waters: there are no
Birds there, or hardly any.
I did not miss them, I do not remember
Missing them, or thinking it uncanny.
The beach so-called was a blinding splinter of limestone,
A quarry outraged by hulls.
We took pleasure in that: the emptiness, the hardness
Of the light, the silence, and the water’s stillness.
But this was the setting for one of our murderous scenes.
This hurt, and goes on hurting:
The venomous soft jelly, the undersides.
We could stand the world if it were hard all over.
Donald Davie, "Across the Bay" from Selected Poems.Copyright © 1985 by Donald Davie. Reprinted by
permission of Carcanet Press, Ltd.
Source: Selected Poems (Carcanet Press Ltd, 1985)

2. Section 2:Poetic Tone
Listen to poems performed. List at least 3 poems that you listened to and reflect (one
paragraph) on how the diction of the poems create mood in the poem.
Section 3: Underlying Meanings
Read “Solace” by Dorothy Parker.
Read this example of a Poetic Analysis.
Keep this information in mind when completing the evaluation portion.
Evaluation:
Pick two poems from Poetry Out Loud. Each poem must have at least three stanzas, but no
more than five.
Write a one page poetic analysis for each poem. Use the format given in the Poetic Analysis
example under section 3.
Also, reflect on your analysis to perform your poems. Create a Voki and call to record the
poems in your voice.

3. Rubric:
Score/
Section
1
0
At least 80 % of poetic
At least 50% of poetic
Some poetic devises
The individual
devises used are listed.
devises used are listed.
are listed.
did not submit
Some terminology
Terminology used was
this section.
from resource was
from the resource was
not found in the
used.
used.
resource.
Three poems are listed
Three poems are listed
Three poems are not
The individual
and reflection alludes
and reflection is vague
listed and reflection is
did not submit
to at least one of the
on details. Paragraph
vague on details.
this section
selected poems in
Section
2
2
Specific terminology
Section
1
3
is the proper length
Paragraph is somewhat
detail. Paragraph is the and is well organized.
organized and is the
proper length and is
proper length.
well organized.
Evaluati
on
Poems are clearly
Poems are clearly
Poems are not clearly
The individual
defined. Analysis
defined and analysis
defined and analysis
did not submit
reflects knowledge of
sometimes reflects
reflects no knowledge
this section
information in the
knowledge of
of information in the
process sections.
information in the
process sections.
Paragraphs are the
process sections.
Paragraphs are not the
proper length and the
Paragraphs are the
proper length and the
paper is well
proper length and the
paper is not organized.

4. organized.
paper is somewhat
organized.