Poetry as a Close Read When I was a student, poetry was the literacy genre that I hated the most. Why? Most of the poetry used was dry, confusing, or too hard. I don´t really remember being taught how to read it or what the elements of poetry were for. But now, poetry has become more enjoyable for kids. The topics are rich, sometimes funny, and also thought-provoking. At my school, poetry is a favorite unit. We look forward to it and read it every month. Structures of poetry We spend time learning about the s tructures of poetry such as rhythm, rhymes, alliterations, and stanzas. This is part of our first read. This helps us to practice fluency and prosody as we read. Some ways to practice are choral reading, partner reads, and independent reads. imagery: Next, we analyze the meaning of the poems. I usually start by discussing the imagery in the poem. This happens in your 2nd and 3rd reads. What words evoke your senses? Sight? Smell? Touch? Sounds? Taste? We search for s