Poetry CATSDRIFT

C - content - what appears to be happening? whom, when, where and why?

A - aim - why was it written? to warn, entertain, teach, express an opinion, relieve emotion, mock, admire? Primary aim - predominantly descriptive, narrative, lyrical or argumentative? 

T - theme - what is the text really about? ie, issues and ideas the text is exploring and which hold it together. Likely to be abstract concepts such as loss, betrayal, change and division.

S - syntax - sentence formations, word orders, grammatical structures. Observe utterance eg questions and punctuation.

D - diction - where do the words come from? are they scientific, biblical english, contemporary? Individual words can change overall effect, or change the mod or tone. Why did they use that particular word and what effect was the poet looking for? Choice of diction also influences sound eg echoes, alliteration, slow or fast pace ect. These all have a huge effect on the way the reader engages with the poem. How do you feel after you have finished the poem? 

R - rhythm/rhyme - Rhythm describes the pace and flow and beat of the language, it’s ‘dance’, which affects the mood of the…