This is a power point on poems and Miami University

1. POEMS 101
By Melissa Mengos

2. How to properly analyze a poem:

3. ◦ There is actually no one set way to analyze a poem. Poems can have many different
meaning, all depending on how you interpret it. One person could think a poem is
about love and another could interpret it as being about death.

4. Take the following poem for
example:

5. On a piece of paper answer the
following questions?
◦ What is the true meaning of the poem? Support your answer with text from the poem.
◦ How is hope compared to a bird? Support your answer.
◦ What do you notice about the structure of the poem?

6. Now, compare your answers to those
around you. Are they the same?

7. Probably not. Now whose answer is
correct?
◦ If they are properly supported, then they are both right!

8. So what did we learn from this
lesson?!
◦ Poems can have many meanings. It is in the hands of the reader to interpret it in a way
that makes sense to them.

9. Here is an excellent place to study
English and my future college:
Miami University Video