William Carlos Williams (1883-1963)

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

and which
you were probably

saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious

so sweet
and so cold

Poetry analysis sheet

For this project you will read and analyze a poem written by aLatino poet. The following instructions will help you uncover themeaning of the poem.

1. What does the title mean?

Take a look at the title and reflect on what it means:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(You will need this for the introductory paragraph.)

2. Put it in your own words

Read the poem two or three times. You will see somethingdifferent each time you read the poem. Write a brief summary of thepoem in your own words. Highlight or list some of the words (nouns,verbs, phrases) that are important to understanding the poem.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What do you think the poem means?

Now think about the meaning of the poem, not just the obviousmeaning of each word but what they mean beyond the literal. Dothese words suggest something else?
Answer these questions:

Who is the subject of the poem?

What are they talking about?

Why do you think the author wrote the poem?

When is the poem happening?

Where is the poem happening?

4. Poetic devices: find the following devices in the poem.

Simile:

Metaphor:

Personification:

Hyperbole:

Idioms:

5. Theme

What is the theme of the poem?

6. Look at the title again
Now look at the title again. Do you now have a differentinterpretation of the title?

7. Begin writing your analysis