Identify and explain some of the “poetic” elements of the poem, such as images, metaphors, similes, allusion, personification, symbols, and connotative meanings. You do not need to explain all of these elements in each poem. All of the elements might not even appear in the poem you are analyzing, but your essay must include explanation of some of these elements of poetry and the meanings they convey. It’s best to organize your essay based on ideas expressed in the poem, not based on the use of particular poetic elements in the poem (a body paragraph on the metaphors, for example, probably would not be a good idea), but you should explain how the ideas you identify are conveyed by the poetic elements in the poem.

Your paper must be both analytical and persuasive: you should analyze the story but also argue your interpretation with plenty of specific evidence from the poem itself. You will not convince readers that you have a good interpretation unless you demonstrate that your interpretation is well supported by the details.

Devise a thesis that makes its point by relating some aspect of the work to the meaning of the whole–that is, to its theme. You should analyze and interpret different aspects of the poem, but your entire essay should be well focused on one thesis. The entire essay should focus on what you think is a main “message” of the poem, with your explanation of the specifics of the poem helping you support and develop your overall interpretation.