A literary analysis requires a solid knowledge of the material to which you are analyzing, so the first step is to know the poem very well. I suggest you read it you many times. You must think critically about the poetry, and formulate a clear and specific thesis statement, one that makes an argument about how you interpret the piece. Your thesis must address the HOW and WHY about what you are arguing. You should NOT simply provide a summary of the poem. I have already read them. I want to see that you are making an argument. You should make specific references to the poems as they relate to your argument. This is called textual evidence.
Since this paper is responding to poetry, think about the literary terms and aspects of the poetry we are talking about in class, such as how symbols, images, irony, etc.
