Poetry It’s a world all its own
Answer the Following on a Piece of Paper: What is poetry? (define it, and what is it to you, specifically?) What are some positive and negative experiences you have had with poetry? (including ones at school) Is poetry part of your daily life? How? (think)
Poetry is… A writing form that expresses powerful emotion and/or ideas to make the reader feel or think a certain way It is concerned with: The precise (specific) meanings of words The sounds of words The overall look of the poem Often distinct styles and forms, but this does NOT mean poems always rhyme!
Poetry can … Follow a set pattern/form (existing or original) or be free form Be short or long Be old or new Be serious or funny Seem foreign to us Slow us down Be read by everyone Be written by everyone (yes, that includes you)
Reading Poetry—When to Pause When do you normally pause in a sentence or paragraph? , . ; : ? !!!!!!!!!!!!! = PUNCTUATION The same thing applies to poetry. But, what if there is no punctuation at the end of a line? You don’t pause. Read poetry like you would a paragraph, pausing only at punctuation without regard to the end of lines.
Try Reading This Poem Excerpt: “I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers, From the seas and the streams; I bear light shade for the leaves when laid In their noonday dreams…”
How About This one? “Grey haunted eyes, absent-mindedly glaring From wide, uneven orbits; one brow drooping Somewhat over the eye Because of a missile fragment still inhering, Skin deep, as a foolish record of old-world fighting.”
Reading Poetry EXPRESSION IS EVERYTHING! Inflection Emphasis Emotion Articulation
How to read Poetry First and foremost, just think about what it means to YOU Consider the sound The images The feelings/mood The parts that stand out to you The message you’re getting from it
Now for some Literary terms
Why do poets use poetic devices? Not to make things more confusing Helps understanding Readers relate better Interesting, engaging, and even entertaining Adds more emotion Helps with imagery But above all, they ALWAYS relate to and enhance the meaning of the poem. Create moods or attitudes Emphasis on important parts
Metaphor & Simile M—A direct comparison between two different things S—An indirect comparison using like or as
Alliteration The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words
Onomatopoeia Words that sound like their meanings
Personification Giving animals, ideas, and things human traits
Hyperbole An exaggeration for emphasis or effect
Understatement The opposite of hyperbole A statement in which the author says less than he/she means
Summary Simile- comparison with like or as Metaphor- direct comparison Alliteration- repeated initial consonant sounds Onomatopoeia- sound words Personification- human traits to other things Oxymoron- contradictory phrase Paradox- contradictory statement Hyperbole- exaggeration Understatement- under-exaggeration