1. Symbolism: the use of an object to stand for a thing or idea.
Example: The stars and stripes make me proud.
Explanation: The stars and stripes are a symbol of the United States.

2. Imagery: mental picture created by words that appeal to the five senses
Example: The lake was left shivering by the touch of morning wind.
Explanation: This is describing a cold lake in the morning.

3. Speaker: in a poem is like the narrator in a story.
Point of View
is the position or outlook from which the speaker tells a story; he or she observes something.
Speaker: in a poem is like the narrator in a story.

4. Theme
Message that the poet wants to share with readers.

5. Tone
Attitude toward the topic of the poem. Like happy or angry.

6. Forms of Poetry
By knowing forms, it will help you understand the poem before you read it.
ballad
free verse
lyric poem
ode
epic poem
sonnet
Limerick
Haiku

7. Ballad
short poem that tells a story and consists of stanzas of two to four lines and a refrain, or a series of lines that repeat.

8. Free Verse
a poem that does not follow any rules of rhythm or rhyme.

9. Lyric Poem
a short poem focused on the speaker’s thoughts or feelings, often similar to a song.

10. Ode
a poem that includes 2 or more stanzas with similar structures; each line must rhyme with another line in the same stanza; usually a serious poem about a meaningful topic

11. Epic Poem
a long poem that tells about the adventures of a hero or historic event, such as a great military victory.

12. Sonnet
a poem that has 14 lines with syllables in each line. In many sonnets, an idea is developed throughout most of the poem, until the last two or six lines question that idea.
(the final lines are called the volta or turn)

13. Limerick
A funny poem written with five lines. The first two lines and the last line all rhyme. The third and the fourth lines rhyme. It often begins with, “There once was...”

14. Haiku
A form of Japanese poetry that consists of three lines in which there are five, seven and five syllables per line and is usually about nature.