Makes appropriate references to the poem's language and poetic devices. The essay clearly demonstrates insight and analytic ability. May show originality. Reader has no doubt that the student possesses a superior understanding of the material. Makes appropriate references to the poem's language and poetic devices.
Textual analysis outweighs description and paraphrasing.
The reader may have to make some inferences because the essay is not always sufficiently explicit. May contain some errors, but these do not undermine the overall quality of the essay. In order to merit a 7, the essay must address explicitly language and poetic devices. Description and paraphrasing outweigh textual analysis. Erroneous statements may intrude.