Commentary Structure: Poems

I. Introduction
• State the poem's title, author, and a small introduction to the
poem's overall literal meaning.
• Give background context that you feel relates to understanding
your view of the poem: when the author wrote it, historical & biographical
information, what groups of poems it was published with. Be specific-
don’t just list every piece of information you know about the poet
• State the poem's form: This can be in the first sentence of the
introduction or within another sentence. Example, Plath’s free verse poem.
State it but don’t go into detail here, use one of your paragraphs if you
want to interpret form.
• Thesis: Should provide your specific argument about the poem’s
figurative meaning and the three to four literary devices, themes or ideas
you will focus on to prove it.
• Conclusion sentence that leads into the first body paragraph.
• Paragraph One: 1st Device, Idea, Theme
• Topic sentence introduces what the paragraph will be discussing
and the mini thesis
• Whether you focus on two examples or three for this device, idea
or theme all should follow this format: Point, Imbedded Evidence,
Analysis of Effect and Relation to Thesis
• Remember citations should be line number (2). Since you are only
focusing on one poem you do not need to put the author’s last name.
remember the period comes after the close bracket.
• Conclusion Sentence which sums up points and leads to next
paragraph
• Paragraph Two: 2nd Device, Idea, Theme
• Topic sentence introduces what the paragraph will be discussing
and the mini thesis
• Whether you focus on two examples or three for this devices all
should follow this format: Point, Imbedded Evidence, Analysis of Effect
and Relation to Thesis
• Conclusion Sentence which sums up points and leads to next
paragraph
 • Paragraph Three: 3rd Device, Idea, Theme
o Topic sentence introduces what the paragraph will be discussing and the
mini thesis
o Whether you focus on two examples or three for this devices all should
follow this format: Point, Imbedded Evidence, Analysis of Effect and
Relation to Thesis
• Conclusion Sentence which sums up points and leads to next paragraph
• Conclusion
I. The conclusion must contain a brief summation of all the points you have made
and why they are important.
II. It should restate your thesis in a new way- showing that you have developed this
thesis from the introduction
III. Conclusion should follow the opposite format of the introduction as the
introduction begins general and moves more specific, in contrast the
conclusion should state with the specific argument raised and move to more
general connections.
IV. These general connections could be how your argument fits into the poet’s life,
history, and other works from the author and how this poem shows similarity
or differences.
V. Final sentences should leave the reader with something to think about.