Chapter 5: Writing about Poetry

Poetry is word melted into song. Rhymes and iambic pentameter are like music to my ears, like a steady heartbeat that speaks out loud. Analyzing poetry is half the battle to writing about poetry--first, you have to know what it means. Dissecting the poem line by line is helpful to understanding what the author's message is. Sometimes, the rhythm of the poem can have a message too, though. for example, when Shakespeare breaks the steady drum of iambic pentameter, it breaks the pattern, signifying a change in the character's words or intent.
Not all poetry is easily understood--sometimes we miss the point the author was trying to make completely. But we still interpreted the poem in a way we comprehend, and that is what makes poetry interesting. People always have their own interpretation to a story.
Writing about poetry is putting our interpretation of the poem into words. It's analyzing what the poem means and the author's intent.