How to Critique a Poem

When you know the basics, critiquing a poem is actually easier to do then most people think. In this 'How To' we'll be using one of my poems to practice on. Follow the steps and then let me know how it went by submitting a comment. For more information on understanding poetry, please take a look at my 'How to Distinguish Different Styles of Poetry' article.

Things You'll Need

• Pen or Pencil
• Paper
• Poem

Instructions

1. Read the poem shown below and then re-read it 2 to 3 times. Read it out loud as well; this will give you a better idea of the 'flow' of the poem.

   My Grandmother's Sweater

   The crispness of the morning
   awaken the sleeping robins.
   The sun peeks out from the horizon
   as I put on my grandmother's sweater.

   I turn and face the body
   wasted of life
   tired eyes looking back
   full of pain.

   The other day my sister asked me,
   "Which way does the grass grow?"
   Down into the ground, I think
   as I snuggle deeper into my grandmother's sweater.

   "What's life all about?" she asked me next.
   Love. Death. Pain. I think,
   as they lay her into the ground.

   I feel nothing
   as the sun shines down
   upon the crosses in a row
   only comfort in my grandmother's sweater.

2. Determine what style of poetry it is. For example, is it free-verse or rhyming? (for more styles, see the Resources section). Along with this, look at the structure, punctuation and pauses of the poem. Certain forms have limits on the amount of syllables on each line (i.e. Haiku-three short lines; first line contains five syllables, the second line seven syllables and the third line five syllables).

3. Determine what voice is being used (i.e. is it first person or third person?). Is it descriptive or narrative?

4. Determine the theme and mood of the poem. What is the poem about? What is the mood of the poem or the mood that the poet is trying to portray? Read the poem again and make note of the emotions you feel (a good poem will evoke an emotion in its readers).

5. Look at the meaning of the poem. Is it underlying or obvious?

6. What techniques did the poet use, if any? For example, does the poem contain symbolism, irony, metaphors, and/or similes?

7. Break it up. Look at each verse separately and determine if everything (i.e. form, voice) is consistent throughout them all.

8. Put it all together. Now you should be able to write a critique of the poem starting with the basics (i.e. voice, style, flow), then moving on to the nature of the poem, the emotions it evokes and finally, whether or not it has been put together properly (and successfully).

Tips & Warnings

• This takes practice so keep plugging away at it.

• Try these steps out on a few of your own poems and see what difference it makes in your writing.

• If you would like more poems to practice on, let me know. I'd be more than happy to provide you with some.

Resources

• Different Forms of Poetry
• Critiquing Poetry
• More Information on Critiquing Poetry