Apologia Pro Poemate Meo Wilfred Owen

First impressions
What is the poem about (content / themes) What is the narrative voice? Who is the audience? What do you notice about the structure? What do you notice about the rhyme / metre? What do you notice about the language / imagery? What is the atmosphere / tone? (message) Does the tone / mood change as the poem progresses?

Verse 1
What is the rhyming scheme? What is this type of verse pattern called? What is the effect of the dash at the end of the 1st line? Why does Owen begin I too? What is the God that Owen saw? What is the juxtaposition / onomatopoeia in this verse? Why does he call them wretches? Why the child reference? What is the irony in the soldiers smiles and laughs? What glory did the soldiers hope to achieve? What is the contrast in the use of language and sound effects?

Verse 2
Where is he talking about? Where is Owen now? Why was it merry? Why is this ironic? Why do life and death become absurd? What power is he talking about? What sound effects are being used? Why do they not feel the sickness or remorse of murder Why call it murder and not killing? What is the contrast in the use of diction?

Verse 3
What do we learn about Owens rank? What examples of personification are there? What simile is used and how is Owen dead? Where is onomatopoeia used?. What is the connotation of "Light and clear". How does Owens spirit rise above the war? What does the entanglement refer to? Whose hopes are referred to? What examples of irony can you find? What is the contrast in the sound effects used in lines 2 & 3? What happens to the rhythm in line 4?

Verse 4
What is the exhultation that Owen witnesses and why is he using this religious imagery and why is it so effective? Why did the men curse him and scowl at him? What do you suppose his opinion of them was? More religious imagery is used then a sharp contrast why?

Verse 5
What is the subject of this verse? What is the comparison that Owen makes? What does the word untold hint at? What sound effects are used in this verse? What are the eyes longing for? What is the effect of using the word silk? What is Owens opinion of the forms of conventional love?

Verse 6
What joy could Owen be referring to? (hint: it has something to do with the ribbon) What comparison is being made and which kind of relationship is stronger? How do the things mentioned bind the men together? What sound effects are being used? How does repetition confirm the mens allegiance to each other? What is the irony here?

Verse 7
There are several examples of juxtaposition and irony in this verse, what are they? How is their beauty, music and peace in this environment? What does Owens ability to see these qualities imply about his state of mind? How are sound effects used to suggest the bombardment?

Verse 8
What is the function of the word Nevertheless? How does the use of pronoun change the mood and tone of the poem? What is the effect of the repetition of hell? How is heaven juxtaposed?

Verse 9
How does this verse complete the change in mood and tone? What is the effect of the use and repetition of you and them? What is the effect of the use of enjambement in this verse? What does Owen mean by jest? Who is Owens audience and what is his opinion of them?