Need some help reading poems?

Asking questions while you read, will help you gain insight into
the meaning of the poem. Below are a few suggestions:

1. Who is the speaker?
2. Who or what is the audience?
3. What is the tone?
4. Is sound an important, active element of the poem?
5. What circumstances gave rise to the poem?
6. What is being described?
7. What kind of figurative language, if any, does the poem use?
8. Does the poem use unusual words or use words in an unusual way?
9. What does the poem make you think about as you read it?