What are the guidelines to be followed when writing a critical appreciation of a poem?

If the poets
intentions are clear regarding the subgenre of poem he/she is trying to write (, sonnet, rhymed
couplets, etc.), the critic can discuss whether the poet succeeded or failed in conforming to
the rules of the subgenrenumber of lines, syllables, subject division, etc. (, too, has its
unspoken rulesWhitman, for example, lists his observations very carefully and satisfyingly.) 
This is the surface level of critical appreciation.  More difficult and more subjective is an
analysis of the , the metaphors, the flow of wordsin other words, the success of the poems
texture.  Here, the word appreciation really comes forwardto what degree does the reader
appreciate the subtle choices of languagethe connotations of the words chosen, the subtle
echoes of sound and theme, the perfect phrasing of an idea?  In the final analysis, the most
important aspect of the poem is its capture of the abstract and otherwise ineffable truth in
the poems themeits success at embracing a universal truth.