Chapter 17- Prosody: Sound, Rhythm, and Rhyme in Poetry World Literature LAP 4: Poetry Day 5

Prosody Prosody is the general word describing the study of poetic sounds and rhythms. Common alternative words are metrics, versification, mechanics of verse, and music of poetry. Most readers, when reading poetry aloud, interpret the lines and develop an appropriate speed and expressiveness of delivery- a proper rhythm.

Important Definitions for Studying Prosody Vowel sounds create the flow of poetic speech. The continuous stream of speech, whether conversation, oratory, or poetry is provided mainly by vowel sounds. When we study the effects of various segments in relationship to poetic rhythm, we deal with sound; usually our concern is with prosodic devices- alliteration, assonance, consonance and rhyme.

Individually Meaningful Sounds Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Assonance- in poetry, the repetition of the sound of a vowel in non-rhyming stressed syllables near enough to each other for the echo to be discernible (e.g.,penitence, reticence ). Consonance- the recurrence of similar sounds, especially consonants, in close proximity (chiefly as used in prosody). Rhyme-correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry.

Examples of Alliteration ▫The wicked witch of the west ▫Larry, like Laura, likes leaving late. ▫Freezing frost in February ▫Johnny jumped and jiggled. Examples of Consonance ▫He struck some good luck. ▫Think tank ▫Touch the peach on the beach. ▫The big frog was on a log. Examples of Assonance ▫There was a rock in a box that was locked. ▫The cat came back to attack the man. ▫A white owl was flying high in the night. In each case, whether we’re talking about alliteration, consonance or assonance, it’s important to focus on the sound, rather than the letter, that is used. All three of these literary devices are used to catch a person’s attention and please the ear by creating a musical effect through language.

Poetic Rhythm Rhythm in speech is a combination of vocal speeds, rises and falls, starts and stops, vigor and slackness, and relaxation and tension. In ordinary speech and in prose, rhythm- as important as it is-is not as important as the flow of ideas.

“Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe sj4https:// sj4

Rhyming in songs and poetry kfohttps:// kfo B4https:// B4

Review Poems I will read these poems out loud. As I read these poems, pay attention to the literary devices that are used (including alliteration, assonance and consonance). We will analyze the poems as a class. “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day” p. 787 “My Papa’s Waltz” p. 838 “Bells” p. 870

Continue your poem With your poetry circle, add three more lines to your poem using alliteration, assonance, and consonance and adding rhyme.