Read poetry
key notes:
Poems don’t always directly state what the author is trying to tell you. So, sometimes you need to look more closely at the details found in the text.
Key words and events in a poem can help you understand what the poem is about.
Sometimes details about a poem’s characters or events are missing. When this happens, you may need to make guesses about what happens and why.
At other times, a poem might describe the details in an unusual way. When this happens, you may need to think about what else the words could mean.
Learn with an example
🔥Read the poem.
Cats, Dogs and Other Pets
I wanted a pet with a bark or a purr,
But puppies and kittens have too much fur!
All of their fluff would make me sneeze,
And I needed a pet to care for with ease.
So, I got Harry, who is quiet and sweet,
He has so many eyes, and eight legs and feet!
His web shines like a jewel in the light,
And I know a pet spider, for me, is just right.
🔥 What is the poem about?
- The narrator is excited to get a puppy.
- The narrator loves her new kitten.
- The narrator is happy with a new pet spider.
The title of the poem is ‘Cats, Dogs and Other Pets’. The narrator says that a pet with fur will make her sneeze. The narrator then chooses Harry as a pet. Harry has ‘so many eyes, and eight legs and feet’ and also makes a web. At the end of the poem, the narrator says that a pet spider is ‘just right’ for her.
Together, these clues help you figure out what the poem is about:
The narrator is happy with a new pet spider.
🔥Read the poem.
At the Fair
At the fair, at the gate,
I have two thoughts and shout, ‘Oh dear!’
I want to jump and celebrate,
And also run away in fear.
Giant beasts that swoop and glide,
Spinning, speeding, people cry!
Is that a monster? Is that a ride?
Won’t know for sure until I try.
Two feelings cause my heart to pound.
Buckled in, I wait, I wait!
But when I’m lifted up off the ground,
Flying high is twice as great!
🔥What is the poem about?
- The narrator is being chased by a monster at the fair.
- The narrator is both scared and excited about going on a ride.
- The narrator cannot decide which ride to go on first.
The narrator is at the fair. She wants to ‘jump and celebrate’, which means she is excited. But at the same time, she is also scared and wants to ‘run away in fear’. These ‘two thoughts’ cause her heart to pound when she buckles in for a ride.
Together, these clues help you figure out what the poem is about:
The narrator is both scared and excited about going on a ride.
🔥Read the poem.
Beside the Door
I’m standing here, beside the door.
I might complain, can’t take much more!
Slip on your shoes, now find your keys
Can we, oh can we leave now, please?
I’ve chewed each toy, eaten each scrap,
Sniffed the floor, and had a nap.
You know I’m patient, usually,
But the world’s right there, so let’s run free!
🔥What is the poem about?
- The narrator is waiting for something to eat.
- The narrator is waiting for a visitor to come over.
- The narrator is waiting to go outside.
The title is ‘Beside the Door’. The narrator asks, ‘Can we leave now, please?’ The narrator also says, ‘The world’s right there, so let’s run free!’
Together, these clues help you figure out what the poem is about:
The narrator is waiting to go outside.
let’s practice!
Read the poem.
Beside the Door
I’m standing here, beside the door.
I might complain, can’t take much more!
Slip on your shoes, now find your keys
Can we, oh can we leave now, please?
I’ve chewed each toy, eaten each scrap,
Sniffed the floor, and had a nap.
You know I’m patient, usually,
But the world’s right there, so let’s run free!