Poetry Terms

Poetry has different forms for different purposes LYRIC POETRY Lyric Poetry is . . . A poem that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. The term lyric is now commonly referred to as the words to a song. Lyric poetry does not tell a story which portrays characters and actions. The lyric poet addresses the reader directly, portraying his or her own feeling, state of mind, and perceptions. Lyric Poetry is not . . . Narrative Filled with complex structures or exotic words Forced rhyme Examples of Lyric Poetry Sonnets Odes Elegy

Lyric Poetry - SONNET "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest; So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. Sonnet- a poem that expresses a single idea or feeling; consists of 14 lines; usually written in iambic pentameter Ends with a couplet- a pair of successive lines that rhyme and are the same length

Lyric Poetry - SONNET A sonnet has an abab rhyming pattern It is also written in iambic pentameter An iambic foot is one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable Iambic pentameter means there are _ iambic feet for a total of _ syllables "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? x / x / x / x / x / Thou art more lovely and more temperate: x / x / x / x / x / Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest; So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee

Lyric Poetry - ODE Ode to the Forgotten Ode to the people who were forgotten They were once loved and cared for Ode to their lives Everyday they hurt While in desperation for love and generosity Ode to those who have tried Those who haven’t given up The ones that will keep climbing For them life hasn’t been easy Ode- a lyric poem of some length; usually written for an occasion or on a particular subject praising or glorifying them. They are usually dignified and serious with a formal structure.

Lyric Poetry - ELEGY O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up- for you the flag is flung- for you the bugle trills, Elegy: a mournful, sad poem; often a funeral song or lament for the dead The elements of a traditional elegy mirror three stages of loss: 1) lament- where the speaker expresses grief and sorrow; 2) praise and admiration of the idealized dead; 3) consolation and solace.

Poetry has different forms for different purposes NARRATIVE POETRY Some popular historic references . . . The Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh Homer's epics the Iliad and the Odyssey Storytelling poems were popular in the late Middle Ages Narrative Poetry is . . A poem that tells a story. The poem may be short or long, simple or complex. It is usually non-dramatic with stanzas and a regular rhyme scheme Examples of Narrative Poetry Ballads Epics

Poetry has different forms for different purposes NARRATIVE POETRY Common Rhyming Patterns: aabb abcb abac Stanza – a group of lines within a poem grouped together with a purpose Dance band on the Titanic Sing “Nearer, My God to Thee” The iceberg’s on the starboard bow Won’t you dance with me Let’s show the world we can dance- Bad enough to strut our stuff. The music gives us a chance. We do more out on the floor. There was a smart spider named Charlotte Whose spinning made her a starlet. An awesome pig named Wilbur she saved Through her friendship, which was quite brave.

Narrative Poetry - Ballad Writing Tips Often verses/stanzas have four lines Repetition is common (a line, an entire stanza, a question/answer format) May contain dialogue Usually written in first person Sequence of “threes” common: three kisses, three tasks, three events Ballad- a simple narrative poem, composed in short stanzas and adapted for singing; they were often used to spread the news or provide entertainment Usually has a rhyming pattern - aabb, abac, or abcb

Narrative Poetry - Ballad Cat’s in the Cradle (Stanza One) My child arrived just the other day, He came to the world in the usual way. But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay. He learned to walk while I was away. And he was talking ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew, He’d say, “I’m gonna be like you, Dad. You know I’m gonna be like you.

Narrative Poetry - Epic Epic- a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation Examples of Epics: Beowulf Paradise Lost The Song of Hiawatha The Iliad The Odyssey

Lyric Poetry and Narrative Poetry? Poetry Review Do you understand the differences between Lyric Poetry and Narrative Poetry? Can you provide examples of Explain the following terms: stanza rhyming pattern iambic pentameter couplet