Poetry Worksheet

Title of Poem:  _____________________________                    Author:  _________________________________

1. What is the dramatic situation of the poem? (What is taking place literally?)

2. Who is the speaker in the poem? (Or, at least, what do we know about him/her?)

3. To whom is he or she speaking? Who is the audience of the poem?

4. Where is the setting of the poem? Where is the speaker? When does it take place?

5. What is a possible theme of the poem?

6. Why does the speaker feel compelled to speak out?

7. What kinds of patterns are there in the poem? Does the poem rhyme? Does it have a particular rhythm?

8. How does the poet use language? Is it elevated or fancier language? Is it more vernacular, colloquial, or casual? Does the poet use a particular dialect or accent?

9. What is the tone (mood) of the poem at the beginning, at the end, and overall?