Hello ucef, I'm not a teacher, but I hope my advice helps you.
When I study essays, I realize that it's not easy to write about broad subjects such as poetry. There is a lot to say about poetry, and I have a college level textbook containing information on how to write essays on poetry. It's a very, very thick book.
I'm going to be very vague. Poetry is just like prose. Poems have words, which are usually combined to make a logical vision or story. The distinct difference between the two is that poetry speaks from the soul; thus, they're spiritual. Poetry is also considered to be more condensed than prose.
If you are looking for more detailed information, I recommend reading the
Writing Essays about Literature by Kelly Griffith. It's an excellent book that will improve the content of your essays and your understanding of the language arts.