Poetry: Organization & Sound Devices

How a Poem is Organized Stanzas: an arrangement of lines, forming a division of a poem; (like a paragraph in prose writing, but not indented) Lines: a single row of writing; pausing at the end of a line is NOT expected. Style: aka “form”; how a poem is written. Example: haiku, epic, etc.

Stanzas and Lines

Stanzas and Lines

Sound Devices Rhyme Rhythm Repetition Alliteration Onomatopoeia

Rhyme is the repetition of sounds at the ends of words. Example: It looked extremely rocky for the Mudville nine that day; The score stood two to four, with but an inning left to play. A rhyme scheme is the pattern of which lines rhyme. It is labeled with letters.

Identify the rhyme scheme

Rhythm is a pattern of stressed (‘) and unstressed ( ) syllables. Example: Rhythm gives the poem a song-like “beat”.

Repetition Repetition is the repeating of a sound, word, phrase, or line to emphasize something in a poem. Example: For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

Alliteration Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Example: Crusts of black burned buttered toast, Gristly bits of beefy roasts… - Shel Silverstein, “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out”

Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose sounds echo their meanings. Examples: Buzz, whisper, gargle, murmur “Bong! Bong! Bong!The bell sounded over and over again.” -Piri Thomas, “Amigo Brothers”