Silently read the poem and then aloud, all the way through, at LEAST twice. What is your first impression and immediate responses, both positive and negative. Also, discuss the poem's structure and rhythm. For example, are the lines short and meant to be read slow? Or, does the poem move fast, and if so, why?
Think about the title and how it relates to the poem. Titles often provide important clues about what is at the heart of a piece. Likewise, a title may work ironically or in opposition to a poem. Questions to talk about and consider are:
Understanding the speaker is at the centre of a poem may help the piece appear more tangible because they’re able to imagine a person behind the language. Questions to consider are:
After talking about the speaker, it’s important to address the attitude or mood the poem is attempting to convey. Some can be brooding or grieving; others may have a song-like cadence and rhyme. Discuss the attitude each speaker or characters give off. Moreover, talk about if there are places where the poem's tone may switch and why. This is also a good time to talk about syntax and the effect certain words have on us.
Since you discussed figurative language, mood, setting, and speaker—there’s no better time than to apply what you’ve learned line-by-line. Paraphrasing may seem pretty self-explanatory. However, keep in mind this is not about skipping lines or condensing. Instead, you should read line-by-line and translate figurative language or unclear phrases into simpler terms that will not get in the way of analysing the poem later on.
Last but not least, it's time to get to the core of what the poem is about by identifying its theme. The theme of a poem relates to a universal truth, issue, or conflict. To determine the theme, look over all of your analysis and connect the dots:
Information taken from : https://www.teachforamerica.org/stories/how-to-analyze-a-poem-in-6-steps