How to interpret a poem (with a little help from Walt Whitman)

[This post has been written with ESL/EFL students in mind, CEFR level B2 and above.] Letโ€™s be honest, reading poetry doesnโ€™t come naturally to most of us. Same as with visual arts or classical music, sometimes it's difficult to understand complex symbolism or to follow a poetโ€™s train of thought. And what to do with …