The purpose of a close read is to gain a deeper or newer perception of the poem. You can use it to discern possible meanings. Plus it can be a tool you use to guide you in writing future poems or writing prompts!
Everything is subjective so there’s no wrong way to do it. You can highlight what sticks out to you, jot down any and everything you notice from a lack of punctuation to how a specific line breaks. If something moves you (positively or negatively), make a note.
Pick out the poetic devices used, what POV it’s written in, and where the poem is taking place. Note if and where you get pulled out of the poem. And what line(s) have the most impact on you. Get nit-picky and find every detail you can.
Title - The title can either be a huge key to a poem or be insignificant. Sometimes the title reads as the first line of a poem. Other times it is the only time the subject of the poem is mentioned. There’s so many ways to play with the title. Take a close look and see if there’s anything that stands out to you!
POV - It’s no secret, sometimes we are unreliable narrators of our own stories. Sometimes we are the only ones who can tell our stories. Other times we want to tell the stories of others to shed light. Our opinion or investment can vary depending on who is narrating the poem we’re reading.
[ ] Who’s voice are we hearing this poem in? 1st person point of view (POV)? 2nd? 3rd? 4th?
[ ] Does the POV ever shift?
[ ] Is there a better POV that could have been used to make the poem connect more?
Form - This refers to the structure of the poem, how it appears on the page. Notice how the stanzas are grouped. See if there was a specific form used like a Sonnet, Pantoum, Villanelle, etc. You will also be able to discern the genre of the poem, like an Ode or a Pastoral poem. There could be deep meaning behind the form chosen, there could be very little thought put into it, either way the form impacts the reader's experience.
[ ] How many stanzas are there?
[ ] Does the writer play with space on the page or is everything left aligned from top to bottom?
[ ] Is there any correlation between the theme of the poem and the genre used?