Introduce the essay. The introduction should serve as a frame to your essay. You can write something about the poet, discuss the sociopolitical circumstances in which the poem was written or explain the story behind the poem.
Write about the syntax of the poem. Mention all the elements you can recognize such as rhymes, rhythm, metaphors used, personification, irony, hyperbole, allusion, puns and any other rhetorical language. Compare the use of these elements in the poem you are analyzing to the general style of the poet.
Explain the theme of the poem. Determine what the poet is trying to say with the poem and find imagery in the poem he or she uses to deliver the message. Remember that poetic images can be concrete and realistic, but they can also be hidden and abstract.
Find an alternative explanation. Some poems can be explained in more than one way. If possible, find elements in your poem which suggest another possible way to explain the poem and do so in your third paragraph. If you can't find them, use this paragraph to express what the poem means to you.
Conclude with the main ideas. Go through your essay and sum up the main points you made in the conclusion. Keep the conclusion short, and use no more than one sentence for each idea.