Poetry is a combination of “sound” and “sense”. More than any other type of literature, it usually implies a deeper meaning beyond the words on the page. So, how to reveal this hidden dimension?
First, follow your ears. While you may ask “What does it mean?” as you begin reading a poem, it is better to ask “How does it sound?” Even if its true meaning appears to be beyond your grasp, you can always say something about how the poem sounds when you read it aloud. Do you detect a rhythm? Are there any repeated words, rhymes or other special effects? All of these are good qualities to notice, and they may lead you to a better understanding of the poem in the end. Read these lines to feel how they sound.
Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
(From “Sweet and Low” by Alfred Tennyson)
Second, approach the poem as if you were an explorer in an unfamiliar landscape. Ask some basic questions about the poem. Who is talking? Who is being talked to? What is being described? Is there a sense of place? Are there other people or objects there? As you explore the poem, you will begin to see images in your mind. What are those images, and what happens when they are put together? This combination is often complex or even contradictory. As you slowly explore your surroundings, you will start to dig up clues that give you a greater understanding of the poem. Read these lines, pay attention to the image of the caged bird and try to find out what it means.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
(From “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou)
Third, if you are still struggling to interpret the meaning of a poem even with much painstaking effort, just have some patience. You cannot really understand a poem that you have only read once. Sometimes reading a poem can be a lifelong job. So if you do not get it, set the poem aside and come back to it later. As an explorer, you will not reach your goal immediately—you need to go on a journey to a remote and unknown destination. This may seem difficult at first, but you finally make your great discovery. your efforts will be rewarded. Poems that are easy to understand are often less interesting than those that constantly reveal deeper and previously unrecognized meanings. Read these lines and try to find out what they mean.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
(From “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost)
Finally, remember that you do not have to fully understand a poem to appreciate it. You might need to abandon logical thinking to discover its true inner beauty. As long as the journey of poetry reading makes you feel something or lets you perceive another level of meaning, it will have been worth your effort.
Poetry’s combination of “sound” and “sense” makes you see the world in a new way and allows you to go beyond normal reality for the everlasting beauty. Enjoy your journey in the world of poetry!