Explication means to explain a poem thoroughly, with a keen attention to its use of the literary elements of poetry. Typically, literary scholars will either focus intensely on one section of a poem or walk through an entire poem, line by line. They will analyze its imagery, figurative meanings, sound devices, and literary significance.
As you analyze your chosen poem, you must use examples and quotations from the poem and the article/s you are citing. Be sure to have one overall point of analysis (thesis statement) on which you will focus your essay.