How to find meaning in a poem ?

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This guide enables me to understand the types of poem i'm searching.
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1.
Read through the entire poem.
Just take a minute to read it

Listen to how the words flow together.

2.
Read each sentence by itself.
Sometimes a sentence will flow over onto the next line.
Instead of looking at it as the poem is written, read each sentence individually.

You may be able to start piecing ideas together.

3.
Consider the deeper meaning.
Don't take everything at face value.
Ask yourself what else the phrase could mean.

4.
Understand the poet.
Take some time to read a little about the poet.
-If they seemed to be a romantic, then their poem may have more to do with love.
-If they seem to indulge in historical facts, they may have been trying to be satirical.

You may also want to read some of their other poems just to get
an idea of what kind of topics are common in their works.

5.
Identify the time period.
Poets tend to write about things that are happening around them.

Knowing a little more about when the poem was written can definitely assist you in truly learning the meaning of the poem.

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source : http://www.ehow.com/how_2282538_find-meaning-poem.html