Analyzing Poetry: “I like to see it lap the Miles” by Emily Dickinson

Introduce readers to the poem “I like to see it lap the Miles” by beloved American poet Emily Dickinson. Designed for eighth graders, this worksheet invites learners to explore this riddle-like poem by first reading deeply and using the spaces provided to take notes about the meaning of words and phrases, the author's use of figurative language, the tone or mood, and anything else that indicates a deeper meaning. Then, as they answer a variety of comprehension questions on page 2, students will practice crucial poetry analysis skills, such as analyzing the use of extended metaphor, examining the impact of punctuation and enjambment, determining the meaning of multi-meaning words, and interpreting allusions, similes, and other figurative language, all while citing text evidence to support their thinking.

If students need a quick review of metaphors, similes, and allusions before teaching this poem, give them this Figurative Language Handout to review different types of figurative language.