I struggle, especially in poetry and older English books, with comprehension and I think one of the biggest problems is that I lose track of the subject that is in view during long passages that distract from the subject before returning to it. As an example, in the poem "The Raven" (1780) by William Cowper:
A Raven, while with glossy breast
Her new-laid eggs she fondly press'd,
And, on her wicker-work high mounted,
Her chickens prematurely counted
(A fault philosophers might blame,
If quite exempted from the same),
Enjoy'd at ease the genial day;
...
By the time I get down to the last line I've quoted I've forgotten about the Raven and so I'm clueless as to who is enjoying the genial day. Then I have to stop and re-read to figure out that the raven is enjoying the day. Is this simply a matter of focus? Are there ways of getting better at reading passages like this without losing track of the subject and thus not having to re-read?