Make sure that you have something specific that you want to say about the poem that you are discussing. This specific argument that you want to make about the poem will be your THESIS STATEMENT. It must be arguable.

You will have to cite using MLA format. The entire essay is in MLA format. You must have an addendum (copy of the poem) after the essay and before the work cited page.
This is an analytical (argument) essay, so write about what the poem says or does, NOT about how you feel. It is fine to make a judgment (the poem is powerful, colorful, playful, etc.), but explain and use examples to justify. There should be more evidence from the primary source than the secondary. Must use scholarly sources.

Most importantly, you should realize that a paper you write about a poem is an argument. Make sure that you have something specific that you want to say about the poem that you are discussing. This specific argument that you want to make about the poem will be your THESIS STATEMENT. You will support this thesis by drawing examples and evidence from the poem itself. In order to make a credible argument about the poem, you will want to analyze how the poem works—what genre the poem fits into, what its themes are, and what poetic techniques and figures of speech are used.

Poem: On Children – by Kahlil Gibran
Three pages (exclusive of work cited and addendum)