How do you read and understand poetry?

Foster Koopmann: Take the poem line by line or stanza by stanza and try to see if you understand what it is they are trying to get across to you. I can post one of mine here. You should be able to completely understand what is going on and what I meant by it. I will put what I meant on the bottom. If you don't follow what I meant, take it with you to a teacher and see if they can help you. Please don't try to publish this or use it for anything else than helping you understand poetry more. Drama QueenI want to rip your head off.I want to see you suffer.I want to extract my revenge on your bones.Can I…YesShould I…Absolutely Will I…Probably notThere is no reason for me to, For you will have life throw you an even bigger bag of ****Than I could ever hope to. Knowing you, I know that you will fail.You couldn’t even be a proper, “keep a *****” baby.Oh wait, Yes, you were,Cause that always works.You were not created in love.You cannot love.You don’t know what lo! ve is.I want to see you suffer. The way you made me suffer for three years.For three years,You were a wedge driven betweenMy love and I.And now that your aren’t here,We feel more like we used to, Before you were around.You were killing us in more ways than one.You don’t deserve happiness.You don’t deserve love.You don’t have a heart to break.For if you did,I would wish whoever your next unfortunate victim is,Would break yours and stomp it into the ground.You thrive on pain and regret.You cannot deal with quiet and calm.You need drama and bullshit.Hell, you are the bull’s ****.You aren’t even worth this small thought.Okay so in this poem I was ranting at a girl that tried to steal my man from me. I was feeling hurt, range, anger. I want to make her suffer yet I know that life will do that for me. So in the end I determine that she isn't worth my time, partially cause I didn't lose my man. In fact we became even closer after this happened and got married....Show m! ore

Lady Laflin: Good question, but HA HA HA HA HA... to! some of the answers. It takes a great deal of talent and patience to read poetry. Only someone who was fortunate enough to be "wired" at birth for much creativity would say otherwise. The rest of us have to work hard. But it's worth it!If you really, really want to figure out poetry, read this book.http://www.amazon.com/Perrines-Sound-Sense-Introdu...It might be at a good library. It is a really brilliant explanation of how to think about poetry. It has many examples of both good and bad poetry (my favorite part of the book). In honesty, it's a big part of why I have been successful as an English teacher.Best wishes!...Show more

Cordia Fivecoat: It doesn't take talent to read and understand poetry, no. Of course, there are poets who are easier to understand. Robert Frost, for example, will be easier for some to understand than Shakespeare. Reading and understanding poetry takes practice, and a lot of analyzing. You have to be able to recognize literary devices! such as similes, metaphors, and other figurative language. If you post a difficult poem up here for me, I could probably help you to translate it.

Randa Hessell: very confusing step. query from a search engine. that will can assist!

Willa Holte: a thank you to envision and understand poetry is learn the poem like mad and examine words you do no longer understand. yet another ingredient is to behave the poem out like a monologue examine with flamboyancy, be dramatic something alongside those strains. those are the strategies I examine each and every so often examine poetry in any different case if poetry isn't examine interior the wonderful way it sounds uninteresting and uninteresting. Poetry desires a voice of character. sturdy success and each and all of the wonderful....Show more

Alphonso Brake: tricky stuff. browse onto yahoo. it can assist!