3. Research a little about the author. When did he/she write and under what circumstances? That may help you appreciate the origin of the poem.
4. Decide if the poet is trying to write a sad, happy, mad, exciting, anxious, etc. poem? If it's a sad poem, let it sink into your heart. Try to feel the emotion that's being written about.
5. Expect that there will be more than you can see at first when you read a poem. Reading the poem over a couple times often helps you see more in the poem than you did the first time you read it.