Critiquing Poetry: why this is important, and how to approach it.

Critiquing is a term that comes up often in poetry groups and workshops. But what exactly is it? The word critique is French, around 1695 – 1705. It originated from the Greek word kritikḗ which means the art of criticism. Now poetic critique despite the connotations of the word, is not necessarily a negative process. It is not about setting out to find fault, but actually involves skillful judgement around merit. Sound critiquing practice will also identify strengths and positive aspects of a poem, as well as discuss potential flaws or shortcomings. A critical review of a poem appraises all aspects of the poem from an unbiased viewpoint. It is very important that poets are able to effectively critique poetry. It is not enough to write poetry; poets must be adept at identifying what makes good poems, and ways to improve poems that may fall short. The reasons why this is important are: 

• Being able to critique poetry makes a poet more able to actively engage and interact in workshop and classroom environments. Many workshops and classes are based on the premise of critiquing the work of your peers and colleagues. 

• Understanding why a poem works enhances your ultimate enjoyment of that poem. 

• Critiquing allows you to develop an informed opinion of a poem that you can support and justify in discussion with others. 

• Understanding where a poem falls short helps a poet avoid the same pitfalls in their own writing.

• Objectively critiquing is an active learning experience. It informs poets about poetic structure, language and word usage, poetic tools such as metaphor and rhyme; in fact, all manner of valuable information around crafting poetry can be gleaned from the critiquing process. It is a growth experience for all poets. 

• Critiquing poems ultimately informs your own writing and assists in improving technique. 

• Participating in critiquing can give you a fresh perspective on poetry – both the one you are reading and the ones you will write in the future.

• Critiquing can highlight opportunities for improvement in your own work. It can also be a means of identifying your personal strengths within poetry. 

 • Competency in critiquing means you will be better equipped to explain your work to others if required.

 • An informed critique is valuable for those receiving it as it is a means of showing that the reader understood the poem; or highlighting the reasons they did not. 

• Critique is invaluable for cross-pollination of ideas between poets. 

• Learning to critique will ultimately make you a better communicator in most settings. 

So how does one go about offering a credible critique of a poem? Critiques should be specific and constructive, and valuable to the recipient. They should not be simply a list of problems with the poem, or vague generalized compliments. A general guide to poetic critique is below:

 1. Look at the structure of the poem on the page. A lot of information is gained from this before you even begin to read. Look at the stanzas, spacing, line length. Are the lines long, short or irregular? Line length can hint at the rhythm within the poem. A visual examination can reveal the form of the poetry – be it free verse, prose poetry, or established form such as sonnet or villanelle. Is there spacing between words in the absence of punctuation?

 2. Now read the poem. This might sound obvious, but reading the poem is not as simple as glancing through it at the words. You should give it your full focus with nothing else competing for your attention. Read it first on the paper (or screen). Read it silently to yourself. And then read it aloud and listen to the sounds of the poem. Listen for rhythm and meter, rhyme and alliteration, onomatopoeia or assonance. Make a note of these and what is working, and what is not. 

3. Pay attention to punctuation, or lack thereof, as you read. Punctuation tells you when to pause. is the punctuation working effectively? Does it enhance the reading impact of the poem? Or does the punctuation hamper the effectiveness of the poem?

 4. Examine the title. Is there a title, or is the poem untitled? What feelings does the title invoke in you? What are your expectations of the poem based on the title, and does the poem deliver those expectations? Do you think the title is effective and appropriate? Does a lack of title affect your enjoyment of the poem?

 5. Think about the ‘Five Ws’ of the poem. These will allow discovery of the subject and theme, and what message the poet is trying to communicate to the reader. 

1.  Who is the poem’s narrator; the poet, or another character? Are there perhaps multiple voices and characters? 

2. What is the basic plot of the poem? Is there conflict? Does it get resolved? Are there transitions or turning points in the poem? Is it a logical unfolding of story? 

3. When is the poem taking place? Looks at tense; is it past or present? Perhaps it has mixed tense; if so, is this on purpose or is it an error in the writing? Is the timeframe for the poem a single moment in time, or does it unfold over days or weeks, or an even longer period? 

4. Where is the poem set? Is there a physical location that enhances the lyrical narrative of the poem? Is the environment internal, imaginary or metaphysical?

 5. Why has the poem been written? Why has the poet chosen to speak on this subject? What has been the compelling or driving force for the poet to write this poem? 

Consider the rhythm of the poem again each time you read it aloud. Is it a set or regulated meter? Is it unpaced? Perhaps it is a fast or slow rhythm. Does it have a pattern and stress to the words? 

Re-read the poem and revisit the poetic tools that have been engaged: 

1. Look at the metaphors and similes; are they fresh and original, or are they leaning towards cliché? Do these poetic devices work to maximum effect? 

2. Is the imagery strong, and what does it conjure for you as reader? Is the imagery clear or obscure? Has it engaged the senses of the reader? 

3. How effective is word choice and language? Has the poet used every-day language, or do you need to look up obscure words often to find their meaning? 

4. Is there rhyme within the poem? If there is line-end rhyme, does this have a consistent rhyming pattern? Does the rhyme flow smoothly and feel natural, or have words been chosen for their ability to force the rhyming structure? Is there internal rhyme and how does this impact upon the poem? 

5. Is the poet “showing” the reader; suggesting and guiding them, without actually telling with overt use of emotive/abstract language such as love, hate, anger? 

Considering all of the above will allow you to provide a comprehensive and detailed critique on a poem. But not all critiques will need to be lengthy and involved. Some may touch on only 3 or 4 of the points above. Others may address more or fewer. How detailed a critique is will be dependent on the purpose of the critique, the setting in which it is being delivered, length and type of poem, and also the quality of the poem being critiqued. 

Mary B.