1) How clear and concise is
the language in the poem? If it is not consistently clear and concise, what
specifically should the writer revise?
2) What is the poemıs literal
situation? Is there something in your understanding of the literal situation in
the text that helps set up good writing or interferes? What do you know too
much of and/or what do you need more to know?
3) What is the character of
the voice in the poem? Is there a clear point of view? Who are the other characters
in the poem? What do you know about the relationships between the characters
and voice in the poem?
4) What is the setting? In
other words, what do you understand of the world from the poem and what do you
imagine adding or subtracting from that world?
5) What happens? How do
things turn out? Are the twists and turns you really like? Are there
alternatives you can suggest? Is the poem in need of more/less plotting?
6) What is the text saying
about the subject and how well is it saying it to you? What is the poemıs
trigger and how is it related to the poemıs real subject?
7) What are the poemıs
primary images, and how clearly and precisely are they presented? Which images
support the primary image and which ones donıt? Can you point to any problems
with your process of seeing any image so the poet may craft the image more
powerfully? Can you suggest alternative ways to develop images in the poem?
8) What are the most
effective metaphors and similes? Where are the weak, ornamental ones? Can you
suggest additional metaphors or similes that may work in the poem?
9) What are the best sounds
the poem makes, and what sounds seem awkaward? Can you point to the rhythms,
rhymes, meter, lines, words and sounds that enable you to hear the
"music" in the writing? What alternate word choices may improve the
poemıs overall aural quality?
10) What are the best lines?
Can you explain how you liked them in terms of meaning and placement? How do
they improve the experience of the poem for the reader? What lines seem wrong
or unnecessary? What lines can you imagine adding to the poem?
11) How well are the
metaphors, similes, sounds, lines, images, and voice. coming together to help
you experience the qualities of the poem?
12) Do you see a chance to do
more showing and less telling? Where? Why? How?
13) Does the poem begin well?
Can you focus your comment on the title and first line of the text so the
writer knows if these beginning elements are effective?
14) Does poem end well? Do
you see an alternative title or slant to the poem to suggest a different
ending?
15) Is the form of the poem
well suited for the subject? What would happen if the same material is used in
a different form?
16) Is the point of view
(POV: first person, second person, third person) effective? If so, how does it
contribute to the presentation; if not, which POV do you suggest? Why?
17) Does the poemıs
organization work well? If so, how does the flow of information enhance the
poem; if not, how would you restructure the flow of information?
18) What central question or
problem does the poem present and how clearly is it presented? How may it be
clarified and/or further developed?
19) What does the text really
mean and what questions did the writing make you want to ask?
20) If you wrote this poem, what would you have done differently? How? Why?