Types and Devices

Types of Poetry Ballads Short, narrative poem (Tells a story) Two or four lines with a refrain (resolution or summary of the poem) Epic Long narrative poem Celebrates the adventures and achievements of a hero

Types of Poetry Free verse Content is usually free of traditional rules of writing poetry (no fixed meter or rhyme scheme present) Sonnet A poem consisting of 14 lines with Iambic Pentameter with a specific rhyme scheme (abab cdcd efef gg)

Types of Poetry Haiku (or Natural Haiku) Originated as a Japanese style of poetry 3 unrhymed lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables Usually written in present tense and focused on nature Senryu (or Human Haiku) Also originated as a Japanese style of poetry 3 unrhymed lines of 5,7, and 5 syllables Usually written in present tense but instead of focusing on nature, the senryu focuses on human nature and emotion Ode A poem praising a person, place, or thing

Types of Poetry (Concluded) Narrative Poetry Tells a story Examples: “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe “Love Story” by Taylor Swift Emotive Poetry Heavy emphasis on the writer’s emotions, or trying to play upon the readers’ or listeners’ emotions Examples: “My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun” by William Shakespeare “Missing You” by P. Diddy featuring Faith Evans “Someone Like You” by Adele

Poetic Devices Alliteration – the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words Example: “I said a hip hop, Hippie to the hippie, The hip, hip a hop, and you don't stop, a rock it” (excerpt from “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang) Assonance The repetition of vowel sounds but not consonant sounds Consonance The repetition of consonant sounds but not vowel sounds Note: Alliteration only occurs at the beginning of neighboring words, whereas Assonance and Consonance can occur anywhere in the word

Poetic Devices Allusion Brief reference to a person, event, or place which can be either real or made up, or to a work of art. Example: “Labor day parade, rest in peace Bob Marley, Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade, Long live the king yo,” (excerpt from “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z) Oxymoron Two contradictory words together Examples: Jumbo Shrimp, Icy Hot

Poetic Devices Connotation When you get the meaning of a word from what was read before and after the word. Sometimes the connotation of a word can be affected by what was written around it. Denotation The literal meaning of a word; the dictionary meaning.

Poetic Devices Hyperbole An exaggeration or overstatement Example: I must’ve spent about a million dollars to get my car repaired. Understatement a belittlement (making light of something) Example: (While standing out in a snowstorm) Gosh! It’s a bit chilly today, isn’t it?

Poetic Devices Metaphor and Simile Metaphor – comparison of two unlike things Simile – comparison of two unlike things using “like” or “as” Examples: “ On a stormy sea of moving emotion (Metaphor) Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean (Simile)” (excerpt from “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas)

Poetic Devices Imagery Language that evokes one or all of the five senses Example: The red apple was crisp and sweet. Onomatopoeia A word that imitates the sound it represents Examples: Bang! Boom! Zap! Splat!

Poetic Devices Meter Rhythm established by a poem. Dependent on the number of syllables in a line as well as the way those syllables are accented. (stressed or unstressed) Rhythm In poetry, it is a recognizable pulse which gives a distinct beat to a line and also gives it shape.

Poetic Devices Rhyme Scheme The way in which the words which rhyme at the end of lines in a poem are organized. Examples: (aabb, abab, ababcdcd) Internal Rhyme When two words on the same line rhyme with each other Example: “Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December” (excerpt from “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe)

Poetic Devices Personification To give human qualities to animals or objects Example: My car decided to stall yesterday. Mood The emotional attitude the writer takes towards the subject Examples: Sarcastic, Happy, Humorous, Sad, etc.