How to Critique a Poem

[Angeline]

Now that I'm bugging you to critique poems, I thought I'd reiterate how I go about it. This is mainly for those of you who haven't "workshopped" poems before and/or are afraid you won't know what to do once you get there.

Actually, there's no single right way. I'm just offering my process as a guideline. If you have another way of giving feedback that works for you, please use it. If you want to share your method in this thread or have comments or questions, put 'em here. S'ok?

First, here are a few general rules that we all try to follow in the discussion circle.

1. Be nice! You should be honest, of course, but remember how you'll feel when it's your poem. No one wants to hear "line 3 sucks!" but they'll respond well to "line 3 is vague" or "line 3 has a cliche" or some such.

2. Be specific. Why do you like or not like the poem? What does/doesn't work? The more clear you can be about the whys, the more helpful your review will be. And you'll become a better editor of your own poems from forcing yourself to put the specifics in words.

3. Author's choice. The poet may or may not take your suggestions. You may not like the choices they make, but hey all you can do is offer an articulate review. The author has the final say in what goes in (or out of) his or her poem.

Okay. Here's how I review a poem. I'm a former editor and English teacher, so if this is too methodical for you, if you like to be more holistic in your impressions, that's your business. However you go about it, if you're specific it'll be helpful.

I consider the following in pretty much the following order.

Theme: Do I get a clear understanding (or impression) of what I've read? There may be various reasons why I don't, but overall I should have a sense of what the poem is about (even if it's about being meandering). If I don't, the poem may not have a clear overall meaning. I may not understand a poem exactly the way the poet meant it, but I should have some understanding.

Organization: How well does the structure of the poem work to convey the theme. Is it too long/short? Are the line breaks or the breaks between verses or strophes good? If not, how would I change them? Would I break lines in different places, add more or less space in different places? Overall, does the shape of the poem help or hinder my understanding of it? Is it cohesive (i.e., is there consistency between parts or sections of a poem)?

Diction: How do the poet's word choices help or hinder my understanding of the poem? Are there images that do or don't seem to work, is the poem vague in spots, are there cliches or overused language that I think slows the poem down? Is there too much language? Are there words or phrases that could be recast or deleted to strengthen the poem?

Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling: I love to make up words or sometimes use them in unusual ways, but it should be correct within the context of the poem. Is there punctuation that I don't think is working? Are there grammar problems that seem to hinder the poem? Are there typos or misspellings? If I can catch these things in a review, I point them out.

That's my method. If you have suggestions to add, please do.

 

[Angeline]

Champagne's poem is now available here for your reviews.

I'll be checking it out later. I have to finish my pedicure and paint my toesies before my boyfriend gets back from his kid's soccer game. Poetry is great, but I have my priorities.

 

[hmmnmm]

Now that I'm bugging you to critique poems, I thought I'd reiterate how I go about it. This is mainly for those of you who haven't "workshopped" poems before and/or are afraid you won't know what to do once you get there.

Actually, there's no single right way. I'm just offering my process as a guideline. If you have another way of giving feedback that works for you, please use it. If you want to share your method in this thread or have comments or questions, put 'em here. S'ok?

First, here are a few general rules that we all try to follow in the discussion circle.

1. Be nice! You should be honest, of course, but remember how you'll feel when it's your poem. No one wants to hear "line 3 sucks!" but they'll respond well to "line 3 is vague" or "line 3 has a cliche" or some such.

2. Be specific. Why do you like or not like the poem? What does/doesn't work? The more clear you can be about the whys, the more helpful your review will be. And you'll become a better editor of your own poems from forcing yourself to put the specifics in words.

3. Author's choice. The poet may or may not take your suggestions. You may not like the choices they make, but hey all you can do is offer an articulate review. The author has the final say in what goes in (or out of) his or her poem.

Okay. Here's how I review a poem. I'm a former editor and English teacher, so if this is too methodical for you, if you like to be more holistic in your impressions, that's your business. However you go about it, if you're specific it'll be helpful.

I consider the following in pretty much the following order.

Theme: Do I get a clear understanding (or impression) of what I've read? There may be various reasons why I don't, but overall I should have a sense of what the poem is about (even if it's about being meandering). If I don't, the poem may not have a clear overall meaning. I may not understand a poem exactly the way the poet meant it, but I should have some understanding.

Organization: How well does the structure of the poem work to convey the theme. Is it too long/short? Are the line breaks or the breaks between verses or strophes good? If not, how would I change them? Would I break lines in different places, add more or less space in different places? Overall, does the shape of the poem help or hinder my understanding of it? Is it cohesive (i.e., is there consistency between parts or sections of a poem)?

Diction: How do the poet's word choices help or hinder my understanding of the poem? Are there images that do or don't seem to work, is the poem vague in spots, are there cliches or overused language that I think slows the poem down? Is there too much language? Are there words or phrases that could be recast or deleted to strengthen the poem?

Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling: I love to make up words or sometimes use them in unusual ways, but it should be correct within the context of the poem. Is there punctuation that I don't think is working? Are there grammar problems that seem to hinder the poem? Are there typos or misspellings? If I can catch these things in a review, I point them out.

That's my method. If you have suggestions to add, please do.

Just about any guitarist will agree that when you're first learning you copy and steal until your own style begins to form, from which point you can then venture beyond.
For someone relatively new to poetry who will benefit by reading and reviewing, this is an excellent model to go by, probably for a while. Very very helpful. Thanks!

 

[champagne1982]

Here's a checklist you may find helpful when completing a critique. It's good to use an aid de memoire when first attempting meaningful review.

[]Spelling: is it correct? Are the proper forms used? ie: they're, their, there. When pointing the error, as you see it, out, be certain the poet wasn't misspelling on purpose.
.

[]Grammar: Are possessives shown correctly. Did the author stay in the proper tense? Were the Main Character/Lyrical Subject consistently referred to in the same way? There is a gentle way to say this, not that the poet should go back to grade six language arts class, but simply point out that a comma would help you, as a reader, recognize that there was a list to be read.
.

[]Punctuation: ... 'nuff said.

.
[]Formula: Is the poem written in a set form? If so, is it correct in all aspects of the form? ie: metre, rhyme, line order?

.
[]Are the poetic devices present in the poem used to best effect?
.

[]Cliche: Are there any noticeable cliches in the poem that seem to have slipped by the poet? Did the poet, perhaps, intend for the cliche to be there?
Suggest a way around the cliche and encourage don't discourage the imagery.
.

[]Subject matter: Could the poet have presented the theme in a better way or was their choice of playful rhyming couplets perfect for the elegy poem written on the death of their mother?
Suggest a substitute formula or even recommend free verse as an option. Many first time poets don't realize that the poem is still a poem even if the verse doesn't rhyme.
.

[]What did you like most about the poem?

.
[]What could have been better?

.
[]Thank the poet for sharing the piece and explain that your critique was about the poem, not the poet.

 

[MungoParkIII]

a few points I picked up

Wanting to look into the critical process I picked up a book I found at a used book store. The book written by Sylvan Barnet titled A Short Guide to Writing about Art was primarily geared to general critique of Art and the writing of that critique. The book was obviously used as a text for some course because it was annotated and strangely, I got more from the annotations than from the book itself. In my reviews and critiques I have tried to follow the basics outlined in some notes at the front of the book, the most important of which I felt was:

1.) A critic looks for virtues in what he dislikes and fault in what he likes.

This was something I have tried to do when writing reviews and critiques, to look for something good in even the weakest work and search for problems in even the strongest. Each can be daunting at times.


Within the book WH Auden an incredible poet and critic described the function of a critic:

"What in the function of a critic? So far as I am concerned, he can do me one or more of the following services:

1. Introduce me to authors or works of which I was hitherto unaware.

2. Convince me that I have undervalued an author or a work because I had not read them carefully enough.

3. Show me relations between works of different ages and cultures which I never could have seen for myself because I do not know enough and never shall.

4. Give a 'reading' of a work which increases my understanding of it.

5. Throw light upon the process of artistic 'Making.'

6. Throw light upon the relation of art to life, to science, economics, ethics, religion, etc.
---------------------------------------from The Dryer's Hand

Just some thoughts on reviews and critique...


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