At some point in our lives, we all have to deal with reading, understanding, analyzing, and even writing poems. Either it is our passion or our Language and/or Literature teacher forces us to do it because our curriculum requires it. For some, reading, understanding and writing poetry is a great challenge while for others it gives pleasure, as if they were chewing popcorn while watching a very entertaining movie. These people have become very familiar with the elements of poetry and this has made them experts in reading, understanding and even writing poetry. Familiarizing yourself with and understanding these elements will go a long way in helping you develop a better vision and understanding of poetry. Here are some of the items you should be aware of:

Theme. That’s what the poem is about. The theme of the poem can vary greatly from one theme to another, as the poet wishes. Robert Browning prospice and William Cullen Bryant thanatopsis speak of death, while Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The arrow and the song talk about friendship. Within the theme of the poem, universal truths It can be found. Universal truths, as the name suggests, are timeless principles conveyed by the poem that is connected to the theme. prospice Y thanatopsis tells us that death is nothing to fear, it must be received with open arms because nature unites us and levels all creation, because we all die. These are the universal truths on the subject, death. The theme of a poem can only be a word or a phrase, but the universal truth it conveys can be longer than a paragraph.

Spokesman. The speaker is the character in the poem who expresses the emotions and/or feelings in the first person point of view, who may not necessarily be the author himself, as he may not share the same feelings. Authors use speakers in their poems to create a more realistic expression of the poem’s emotions and ideas.

tone and mood. Tone is the “voice” of the poem in which we imagine the poem to be read. It can be angry, happy, sad, etc. Mood is the general feeling conveyed by the poem that can be created by the tone and/or the choice of words that can clearly express outrage, disgust, love, etc.

rhyme scheme. Rhyme is very common in poetry, although not all poets impose rhyme schemes on their poems. Rhyme adds effect to the structure of the poem, often also helping to convey the theme and emphasizing the mood of the poem by the playful sound it creates.

Meter. It is the basic structure of a poem: the units and subunits of a line, syllable, and stanza. Most poems come in pentameters (a line of five metric feet).

Style. Poetry comes in different packages: we have free verse, blank verse, sonnets, etc. These styles include rhyme, meter and arrangement of everything. Does it come in verse, quartet, sextet? Is it a haiku, a sonnet, a limerick? Sometimes the poet imposes the style of the poetry to add visual effects in conveying the theme. Most of the time, the style is not a form of random choice but of a discreet and wise use of the poetic element.

Symbolism. This element of poetry seems to be the most difficult to understand because the interpretation can vary from one reader to another. These symbols are figures or things mentioned or implied in the poem that mean or signify something else. A sword could be used as a symbol of power, violence, justice, and many more, depending on how the author used it. A wind can symbolize trouble or support. Interpreting the symbolism requires additional, deep reading and pondering. You may also need to check cross-references within the poem and other works to attest to the meaning of the symbol as implied by the poet.

These are some of the few elements of poetry that one must become familiar with when one wants to read, understand, or write a poem. This article may not provide an in-depth look or tutorial, but it may give you a hint on how to approach poetry, whether you want to read, understand, or write one.