The purpose of a poem analysis is to enrich the poem for other readers, to allow readers to see what you have seen in the poem. Approach the poem analysis by keeping a journal, a day-to-day account of your feelings and interpretation of the poem. On some days you may focus on just a single line or even a few words in the poem, while on other days you may consider a whole stanza and its relationship to the meaning of the whole poem. Work very closely with the poem, its sound, its rhythm, the various associations and connotations of words, because the thrill of a poem comes not from its overall prosaic meaning but from the intricacy through which the poet has expressed that meaning. Take account of all there is to see, hear, and think about in the poem (see below). At times you will find that a word or line may suggest two or more meanings, all of which could be relevant to the meaning of the poem, so mention them all. If you don't understand the meaning of something, make intelligent guesses at it. In dealing with any part of the poem, show how it helps convey the overall meaning and feeling of the poem. Don't treat any line as though it's in a vacuum, completely separate from the rest of the poem. When your preliminary "journal" is near completion, edit out the remarks that don't sound reasonable and restructure your analysis in an essay.