Poetry

Poetry A type of literature that expresses ideas, feelings, or tells a story in a specific form (usually using lines and stanzas)

POINT OF VIEW IN POETRY POET The poet is the author of the poem. SPEAKER The speaker of the poem is the “narrator” of the poem.

POETRY FORM FORM - the appearance of the words on the page LINE - a group of words together on one line of the poem STANZA - a group of lines arranged together A word is dead When it is said, Some say. I say it just Begins to live That day.

SOUND EFFECTS

RHYTHM The beat created by the sounds of the words in a poem Rhythm can be created by meter, rhyme, alliteration and refrain.

METER A pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Meter occurs when the stressed and unstressed syllables of the words in a poem are arranged in a repeating pattern. When poets write in meter, they count out the number of stressed (strong) syllables and unstressed (weak) syllables for each line. They they repeat the pattern throughout the poem.

FREE VERSE POETRY Unlike metered poetry, free verse poetry does NOT have any repeating patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables. Does NOT have rhyme. Free verse poetry is very conversational - sounds like someone talking with you. A more modern type of poetry.

RHYME Words sound alike because they share the same ending vowel and consonant sounds. (A word always rhymes with itself.) LAMP STAMP Share the short “a” vowel sound Share the combined “mp” consonant sound Activity: Rhyme group game

END RHYME A word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line Hector the Collector Collected bits of string. Collected dolls with broken heads And rusty bells that would not ring.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary. INTERNAL RHYME A word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary. From “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

RHYME SCHEME A rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhyme (usually end rhyme, but not always). Use the letters of the alphabet to represent sounds to be able to visually “see” the pattern. (See next slide for an example.) Activity: Rhyme Scheme group game

SAMPLE RHYME SCHEME The Germ by Ogden Nash A mighty creature is the germ, Though smaller than the pachyderm. His customary dwelling place Is deep within the human race. His childish pride he often pleases By giving people strange diseases. Do you, my poppet, feel infirm? You probably contain a germ. a b c

ONOMATOPOEIA Words that imitate the sound they are naming BUZZ QUACK

ALLITERATION Consonant sounds repeated at the beginnings of words If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick? Activity: Alliteration group game

CONSONANCE Similar to alliteration EXCEPT . . . The repeated consonant sounds can be anywhere in the words “silken, sad, uncertain, rustling . . “

(All share the long “a” sound.) ASSONANCE Repeated VOWEL sounds in a line or lines of poetry. (Often creates near rhyme.) Lake Fate Base Fade (All share the long “a” sound.)

ASSONANCE cont. Examples of ASSONANCE: “Slow the low gradual moan came in the snowing.” John Masefield “Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep.” - William Shakespeare

REFRAIN A sound, word, phrase or line repeated regularly in a poem. Let us look at Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Wind” pg. 50 in our book. “O wind, a-blowing all day long, O-wind, that sings so loud a song!”

SOME TYPES OF POETRY WE WILL BE STUDYING

A frog jumps into the pond. HAIKU A Japanese poem written in three lines Five Syllables Seven Syllables An old silent pond . . . A frog jumps into the pond. Splash! Silence again.

Haiku Has three non-rhyming lines. First line has 5 syllables. Second line has 7 syllables. Third line has 5 syllables. Often about something beautiful in nature.

Haiku Brisk spring and fall air New colors glance in my hair X X X X X Brisk spring and fall air New colors glance in my hair As I watch in awe. 5 syllables X X X X X X X 7 syllables X X X X X 5 syllables

Haiku Let’s try one together: Title: 5 syllables 7 syllables

CINQUAIN A five line poem containing 22 syllables How frail Two Syllables Four Syllables Six Syllables Eight Syllables How frail Above the bulk Of crashing water hangs Autumnal, evanescent, wan The moon.

Cinquain Has five lines: Line 1: noun Line 2: two adjectives describing the noun Line 3: three verbs showing the actions of the noun Line 4: a four-word phrase telling about the noun Line 5: repetition of the noun or use of a synonym for the noun

Cinquain Sneakers White, squeaky Running, jumping, skipping They cover my feet Nike noun 2 adjectives 3 verbs 4-word phrase synonym for noun

Cinquain Let’s try one together: noun 2 adjectives 3 verbs 4-word phrase synonym for noun

Limerick Five line poem Funny or nonsensical First line often begins with “There once was…”

Limerick There once was a sweet little frog Who lived by himself on a log. He saw a fat fly, And he said, “Oh my! I think I’ll go out for a jog.” Rhymes with 2 What happens? 2 short snappy lines How it ended? Rhymes with 1 & 2

Limerick There once was a farmer from Maine Whose cow was in terrible pain He went to the vet To care for his pet But then he got caught in the rain. Rhymes with 2 What happens? 2 short snappy lines How it ended? Rhymes with 1 & 2

Limerick There once was a puppy named Prince, Who guarded his owner’s back fence He barked at the man Who picked up the can Stealing garbage just didn’t make sense! Rhymes with 2 What happens? 2 short snappy lines How it ended? Rhymes with 1 & 2

Limerick Let’s try on together: 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- How it ended? Usually begins with “There once was…” Rhymes with 2 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- What happens? Rhymes with 1 2 short snappy lines 3 & 4 rhyme How it ended? Rhymes with 1 & 2

Examples of Narrative Poems A poem that tells a story. Generally longer than the lyric styles of poetry b/c the poet needs to establish characters and a plot. Examples of Narrative Poems

Concrete Poetry Poetry in which authors use both words and physical shape to convey a message.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Figurative Language When the Author of a poem writes something, but doesn’t really mean it literally. 4 types: Metaphor Simile Personification Idiom

METAPHOR A direct comparison of two unlike things without using the words “like” or “as”. Example: Ted’s brain is a leaky faucet.

SIMILE A comparison of two things using “like, as than,” or “resembles.” “Grasses run like a green sea” Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Dumb Soldier”

Personification When human like qualities are given to an animal or object. Example: I took the computer for a stroll so it would calm down and rest.

PERSONIFICATION An animal given human-like qualities or an object given life-like qualities. The cat was planning what to wear for his first day of school. He was waiting to call his friends to see what they were going to wear.

Idiom An expression where the literal meaning of the words is not the meaning of the expression. It means something other than what it actually says. Ex. My messages blew me away. Hurry! Time is about to run out!