Have you ever noticed that different poems can explore the same things, but in their own special and unique ways?

Imagine seeing two different paintings of a beautiful sunset – they might use different colours and brushstrokes, but they both show us how wonderful the sunset is. Likewise, when we read and compare poems, they might explore similar topics; however, the poets express their thoughts and feelings in their own unique ways.

• When we compare poems, we can see how they are alike or similar. 

• We analyse how two or more poems share a common theme, structure or content.

Keywords Used to Compare

• When we contrast poems, we can see how they are different.

• We analyse how two or more poems differ in theme, structure or content.

Keywords Used to Contrast

• To find the similarities and differences, you need to look for specific details (textual evidence) in the poems that support your comparisons and contrasts. 

• These can be as follows: 

What the poems are about (main idea), how they use words (language), how they are organised (structure and form), and how they connect ideas (making connections). 

Let us look closely at these aspects of poems.

1. Main Idea

• Compare: What important ideas do the poems talk about? Are there any common messages?

For example: Imagine two poems about friendship. One might talk about how friends help each other during hard times, while the other might talk about the fun adventures friends have together. Both poems teach us that friends are there for each other.

• Contrast: Do the poems have different special ideas that stand out? OR How do the poems present the same theme in different ways?

For example: One poem might focus on how friends listen and support one another, highlighting friendship as understanding. The other might focus on laughter and shared experiences, highlighting friendship as joy. Although they address the same topic, they present it in different ways.

2. Language

• Compare: Do both poems use straightforward (literal) language, or more imaginative (figurative) language?

• Contrast: Notice the differences in how the poems use figurative language to create vivid pictures in your imagination. 

For example: Does one poem create vivid images, such as "the sun is a golden blanket," while the other simply states "the sun is bright"?

3. Structure

• Compare: Identify whether both poems are organised in a particular way. Do they have stanzas, rhyming words, or share the same rhyme scheme?

• Contrast: Are the poems set up differently? Do the poems lack words that rhyme, or do they have different rhyme schemes?