Poetry Study Goals

Goals:

1. Recognize the setting of the poem

2. Identify the speaker of the poem

3. Learn more about different kinds of poetry

4. Be able to interpret literary devices

5. Have some understanding of poem before continuing

While reading the Poem "The First Snowfall", the setting was very significant and helped in understanding the overall tone and feel of the piece. Identifying the speaker of the poem also stood out to me as being very important. For instance, after reading "Sonnet 55" I had to stop and question who the actual speaker of the poem was. This is definitely an important piece in understanding it but to me at least, it isn't always obvious. It also became clear to me while reading that I don't really know the different kinds of poetry anymore, and it would be helpful to study those. I would also like to be able to understand various literary devices. I know what what the devices are, but I sometimes have trouble understanding them in poems. Lastly, I would like to be able to have some understanding of the poem before I continue to read so I don't end up answering questions before I truly grasp the meaning of the poem.