What should I include in an English Literature poetry analysis?

The first step to writing a good essay is to carefully read the poem. From here it is a good idea to highlight the different literary devices the poet uses. These can include: similes/ metaphors, personification, use of imagery, onomatopoeia, alliteration and use of colours. To start the essay, outline the overall meaning or content of the poem. The body of the essay should describe the different devices you have highlighted. The trick to getting high marks is to provide evidence for each device- try to integrate quotes into your sentences. You will also need to provide an explanation of why the poet uses these devices, and what meaning they give to the poem. It is important to write about form, structure and rhythm in your essay. Is there a rhyme scheme? Are there short or long sentences? Can you see any pattern in the way the poem is written? You should provide evidence of these too. Give several interpretations as to what the meaning of the poem could be, to show that you have thought about it carefully. Finish with a strong conclusion, summing up what you have found in the essay.