Poem Analysis Essay Question
Select a poem from this module to analyze in an essay. You may choose “If you were coming in the fall” by Emily Dickinson or any of the poems written by Walt Whitman. Regardless of the poem you choose, you should apply what you know about the devices poets use to communicate a message, such as figurative language, images, and sound effects (rhythm, alliteration, and internal or slant rhymes—words that almost rhyme but not quite). To help readers of your essay follow your ideas about the poem, use this structure to organize your essay.
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In the first paragraph, announce the title and author of the poem, and provide some historical context. Then state your thesis (a sentence that identifies a general point about the message or method of the poem).
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In each body paragraph of your essay, explain how a section of the poem demonstrates the point you made in your thesis statement. Include direct quotes from the poem, and explain what those quotes say, in relation to your thesis statement.
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In the conclusion paragraph of your essay, restate your thesis in slightly different language, and refer to some of the ideas you developed in your essay’s body paragraphs
