What if I don't know where to start with an unseen?

Remember that you have time to contemplate the question, re and then re-read the extract and get over that initial panic. Breaking the question up and then trying to put it into your own words is a good way of understanding exactly what it is asking. There are lots of things that can help start you off if you're really stumped. I look at the time period of the extract as putting the words into a context can really help with finding their meaning and also get you important AO3 points. Look out for the structure of the extract. Is it a poem? If so, what form is it written in? For example a sonnet form might suggest a poem about love, and if not, you might be able to discuss why it is that the poet has chosen a form typically associated with romance. Wether or not you feel daunted by the your first glance at the unseen, try highlighting words that jump out to you as read. Your first impressions might also be more telling than you give them credit for and I would jot them down as they might help you write an introduction.