explanation ... exploration

To gain high marks in this 'unseen' poetry paper, you must explore the poem, rather than merely explain it.

Explaining? 

Exploring? 

What’s the difference between the two?

Explanation is the act of making clear in your own words a basic meaning of the poem. 

Here’s an example of an explanation:

'Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day’ - here the poet asks himself whether he should compare the person he loves to a summer’s day.

This explanation clearly shows that the candidate understands an important basic meaning.  Shakespeare’s old-fashioned, rather formal-sounding language is replaced by an explanation of what is being said at this point.

Exploration, however, goes deeper.  It’s a process which investigates how the poetry makes you think, imagine and feel.

Here's a possible exploration of the same line:

When the poet addresses his beloved he is also depicting his response to the person he loves, asking himself a question about what might be an appropriate point of comparison to the strikingly beautiful person: ‘shall I compare thee to a summer’s day’.  The idea of ‘a summer’s day’ has numerous positive connotations: of leisure time, of fine weather, or perhaps simply of a day which is perfect.  The fact that the poet is asking himself the question about the point of comparison might suggest a profound fascination with the beloved person and that person’s beauty and allure.

This short paragraph is an example of exploration - looking clearly at the possibility of interesting, subtle, relevant meaning or meanings, whilst keeping clearly focused on the main topic of the poem (there’s no time or need at GCSE to explore esoteric or obscure meanings, but you should nevertheless try to show imagination and curiosity as you explore your poem).