Poetry Analysis Essay
October 13, 2009 Instructor: Liza Erpelo English 110 AK

The Prompt
• Choose a poem from R. Zamora Linmark’s The Evolution of a Sigh and write an essay in which you analyze the poem’s literary elements (parts of the poem and figures of speech) and use this analysis to interpret the meaning of this poem.

The Prompt
• In other words, what is the poem saying and what literary elements does the author use to demonstrate this message?

Introduction
Provide the necessary background information in 3 to 5 sentences:  title of poem  poet’s name/any relevant biographical facts  summary of the poem’s subject or topic.

Thesis
• In your thesis, identify the literary element(s) to be analyzed and the approach or direction of the analysis. • What message is the poem sending?

Sample Thesis Statement #1
In “First Lessons,” R. Zamora Linmark uses allusions to describe how not to write a poem, and then he uses imagery and allusions to describe how to write a poem properly.

Sample Thesis Statement #2
R. Zamora Linmark in “First Lessons” uses imagery and verbal irony to describe how a writer can discover his or her topic, then through diction and allusion, tells the writer how to write a poem that will leave a lasting impression on readers.

Sample Thesis Statement #3
In the poem “First Lessons,” R. Zamora Linmark uses allusion and visual imagery in a playful way to teach writers what to avoid and what to incorporate when composing poems based on other literary works. Linmark advises writers that it is okay to borrow, or even steal, from others’ literary works as long as they replace them with works of their own.

Body Paragraphs
• The number of paragraphs will be based on the number of elements you analyze and the number of claims that you make.

Sample Organization #1
In “First Lessons,” R. Zamora Linmark uses allusions to describe how not to