Research paper; Charles Baudelaire portrays a world full of sin and horror

Okay, so my AP English class is now doing research papers (10 pages) on a poet and their work. We have to support a thesis about their work. In case it's any help, I'm talking about how Charles Baudelaire portrays a world full of sin and horror and negates the idea that society is refined.

Introductions have always been difficult for me and my go-to has always been quotes for my short essay (3-5 pages) intros. My teacher recommends a 2 paragraph introduction, which makes it even more difficult and intimidating, and also wants any quotes saved for last. So now I'm kind of caught between a rock and a hard place.

Do you have any ideas or tips for me to start out? Once the intro is done I can bang out the rest of the essay with no problem. I've tried starting the paper and then going back to the intro, but it just derails by train of thought and I end up forgetting transitions. Any kind of help whatsoever will be greatly appreciated! I can't stand this mental block! Thank you!!!

I also usually write from the beginning and the best way for me is to write my thesis statement first. The introduction of a research paper should do the following: introduce the subject broadly, then get narrower as you work towards the thesis statement; state your thesis statement or what you intend to argue; tell explicitly what you are going to show. The rest of the paper should do exactly what you outlined in your intro and the conclusion should restate what you argued. Don't be afraid to look for scholarly sources to help support your argument! Good luck!

I just start by picking a poem, then analyze the poem and try to come up with the key terms of the poem