Question

When reading a poem closely to interpret its meaning and nuances, what can give you clues about the theme of the poem?

Answer 1

The meaning behind unfamiliar words
Breaking it down into sections; such as changes within the poem
Diction's- What are the most significant words and what do they indicate
Look for words that indicate feeling
Words of 'I' 'We' 'Us' 'Them' and etc. Can be used to determine if it's meant to be the poets Point of view, such as if it's a narrative or description or so
Literary Devices- Is it a metaphor is it a paradox. Do they repeat words for significance (Alliteration).
There is so much more but this is what i can think of on the top of my head

Answer 2

When reading a poem closely to interpret its meaning and nuances, the title of the poem can give you clues about the theme of the poem (can reveal a lot about the poem). To interpret the meaning and nuances of the poem, you have to decipher the words in order to understand it (directly/indirectly). The title of the poem might be the most important word choice of all because it's the first thing the reader sees. The title might not make much sense until you start to understand the poem (gives us a reasonable hint about what the poem means).