How should I approach writing an essay which compares two unseen poems?

Approaching unseen poetry can be daunting, however it is important to remember all of the skills you have learnt when analysing your poetry anthologies in class and apply them to this section of the paper.You should begin by analysing both poems separately, it is important to decide what you think of both poems before you start writing, this will allow you to create a plan to help you structure your answer. In some cases it may make more sense to discuss the poems separately before comparing them, especially if you believe they are very different. However, you could also compare the poems throughout your answer, particularly if the poets use similar techniques. 
When analysing the poems you should focus on AO1 and 2 which are meaning and interpretation, think about how the poets shape their works and importantly, consider your own personal response to both poems. You should support these interpretations by considering aspects such as: content, themes, mood and atmosphere, important words and phrases, and structure and punctuation. It will help you to plan if you annotate your poems as you go, highlighting poetic techniques such as enjambment or a rhyme scheme, for example.  Next, consider the similarities and differences between the poems. For example, do the poems have a similar subject matter? If so, do the poets portray this in the same way or differently? What poetic techniques do they use to do this? Do not force similarities between the two poems however, your answer will be just as interesting if you can find differences between them. Once you decide on an argument, make sure you can reinforce it with specific examples - explaining their significance to the poems as a whole.