1. Poetic Structures
Tuesday, 18 September 2018

2. Overview On the next slides you will see a range of poems
Please try to define their structures, looking at length, rhyme schemes and rhythmic patterning.
Since you will be writing your own poems for the Remembrance competition, this will help you to write with more elegance…
Poems are the product of careful thought and a re not left to chance… Here are some examples.

3. The Battle of Blenheim BY ROBERT SOUTHEY
    The ploughshare turns them out!
The Battle of Blenheim BY ROBERT SOUTHEY
    Was wasted far and wide,
For many thousand men," said he,
It was a summer evening,
And many a childing mother then,
    "Were slain in that great victory."
    Old Kaspar's work was done,
    And new-born baby died;
And he before his cottage door
But things like that, you know, must be
"Now tell us what 'twas all about,"
    Was sitting in the sun,
    At every famous victory.
    Young Peterkin, he cries;
And by him sported on the green
And little Wilhelmine looks up
    His little grandchild Wilhelmine.
"They say it was a shocking sight
    With wonder-waiting eyes;
    After the field was won;
"Now tell us all about the war,
She saw her brother Peterkin
For many thousand bodies here
    And what they fought each other for."
    Roll something large and round,
    Lay rotting in the sun;
Which he beside the rivulet
"It was the English," Kaspar cried,
    In playing there had found;
    After a famous victory.
    "Who put the French to rout;
He came to ask what he had found,
But what they fought each other for,
    That was so large, and smooth, and round.
"Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won,
    I could not well make out;
    And our good Prince Eugene."
But everybody said," quoth he,
Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
"Why, 'twas a very wicked thing!"
    "That 'twas a famous victory.
    Who stood expectant by;
    Said little Wilhelmine.
And then the old man shook his head,
"Nay... nay... my little girl," quoth he,
"My father lived at Blenheim then,
    And, with a natural sigh,
    "It was a famous victory.
    Yon little stream hard by;
"'Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he,
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
    "Who fell in the great victory.
"And everybody praised the Duke
    And he was forced to fly;
    Who this great fight did win."
So with his wife and child he fled,
"I find them in the garden,
"But what good came of it at last?"
    Nor had he where to rest his head.
    For there's many here about;
    Quoth little Peterkin.
And often when I go to plough,
"Why that I cannot tell," said he,
"With fire and sword the country round
    "But 'twas a famous victory."

4. Anthem for Doomed YouthRelated Poem Content Details BY WILFRED OWEN
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? 
      — Only the monstrous anger of the guns. 
      Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle 
Can patter out their hasty orisons. 
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; 
      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,— 
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; 
      And bugles calling for them from sad shires. 
What candles may be held to speed them all? 
      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes 
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. 
      The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; 
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, 
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

5. Do not go gentle into that good night
Dylan Thomas, 1914 - 1953
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

6. "How Great My Grief" (Triolet) By Thomas Hardy How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee! - Have the slow years not brought to view How great my grief, my joys how few, Nor memory shaped old times anew, Nor loving-kindness helped to show thee How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee?

7. Ballad Form Feels like a song. Tells a story
Are the lines the same length?
Rhyme scheme?
    In playing there had found;
It was a summer evening,
He came to ask what he had found,
    Old Kaspar's work was done,
    That was so large, and smooth, and round.
And he before his cottage door
    Was sitting in the sun,
Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
And by him sported on the green
    Who stood expectant by;
    His little grandchild Wilhelmine.
And then the old man shook his head,
    And, with a natural sigh,
She saw her brother Peterkin
"'Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he,
    Roll something large and round,
    "Who fell in the great victory.
Which he beside the rivulet
Iambic rhythm.How many beats poer line here?

8. Anthem for Doomed Youth
Count the lines: what sort of poem is this
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? 
      — Only the monstrous anger of the guns. 
      Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle 
Can patter out their hasty orisons. 
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; 
      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,— 
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; 
      And bugles calling for them from sad shires. 
What candles may be held to speed them all? 
      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes 
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. 
      The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; 
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, 
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
This is the volta: How does the sense or focus change at this point?
Can you
identify the rhyme scheme
What happens to the rhyme in the last couplet?

9. VILLANELLE How does the rhyme scheme work?
Which lines are repeated?
This is a constant pattern
How long is the poem? What happens in the last two lines
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
How does the rhyme scheme work?

10. TRIOLET
Here: iambic tread
What patterns do you notice?
How great my grief, my joys how few,  Since first it was my fate to know thee!  - Have the slow years not brought to view  How great my grief, my joys how few,  Nor memory shaped old times anew,           Nor loving-kindness helped to show thee  How great my grief, my joys how few,           Since first it was my fate to know thee? 
How does the grammar alter as each repetition takes place
Summarise the structure….