In preparation for the upcoming practice poetry portion of the Honors Exam we're taking this week I think that one of the more important poetic elements to focus upon should be rhythm. Last week during class, our group worked on the poem byW.H. Auden (the poem's name escapes me now) that we chose from the 4 available choices on the ditto sheet. We analyzed how its rhythm seemed to be stronger at first--giving the reader the impression of a fast procession. Yet, as the poem went on, we noticed how the rhythm of the poem slowed down, much in the same way a funeral procession would. This seemed to be a crucial aspect of this particular poem that we felt could relate to any other poem, depending upon the effect that the poet is trying to create. In order for it to resonate, the poet must use some sort of poetic effect--such as this one--to grab the audience's attention. If we keep our eye's open for this particular poetic element, I think we can effectively enough break down how the poem creates a feeling of resonance within the reader.