UNDERSTANDING POETRY
Proverbs and figures of speech are part of poetry, which means the meaning of a poem may not be obvious as that of a prose. It therefore requires a certain amount of thinking through to grasp what the verse is communicating.
Consequently, several meaning may evolve out of a poem, but the reader or the student must be able to justify or authenticate the explanation offered.
Where do you find the good reason to back your assertion that the poem means this or that? First, from the poem itself, through the words and the literary device. Second from the background of the poet-his career, struggles, philosophy in life, the period and place (setting) he wrote the poem and so on. We must remember that poetry is born out of poet experience. Third, consider the tittle for that will throw more light on the theme or subject matter of the poem.
When you discover what you think is a fitting meaning of a particular line or poem. This meaning must be in consonance with the overall theme, and evidence of it must be cited to give credence to the meaning
Because the poet is dwelling on a particular theme, he will use the words that are not connected and keep going back to similar words remembered in different ways. Identifying those words and their meaning will help to explain what the poem is about.
In trying to understand a poem, we must remember that the poet has something to say. That he doesn't express himself in in prose or drama but in poetry is part of the beauty of having several forms of communication.
Thus poetry appreciation means discovering what message the poet is trying to communicate through his poem, how he is doing this and determine whether or not he will be successful
The poet sends his message through his choice of words, how they are arranged, and the many literary devices available to him.by studying those words carefully against certain background information; we determine the subject matter of the poem. The message he wishes to convey, the mood and the tone of the poet and the poem.