English 9Mrs. Cousar

(based on a presentation by Ms. Barrow, English II)

Poetry Defined

Poetry is literature in verse form, a controlled arrangement of lines and stanzas. Poems use concise, musical, and emotionally charged language to express multiple layers of meaning.

The word poetry is derived from the Greek poiesis, meaning a “making” or “creating.” It is a form of art in which language is used.

Figurative Language

Language that is used imaginatively, rather than literally, to express ideas or feelings in new ways

Figures of Speech1. Similes: compares one thing to

another and uses the words “like” or “as”

2. Metaphors: an implied comparison made between two unlike things

3. Personification: giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-human objects.

Allusion: an allusion is the casual reference to a figure or event in history or literature that creates a mental image in the mind of the reader.

Symbolism: the use of one object (a symbol) to represent or suggest something else

Imagery: Descriptive language that creates vivid impressions. These impressions, or images, are developed through sensory language, which provides details related to sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, and movement.

Theme: the message of the poem

Tone: the manner in which a poet makes his statement; it reflects his attitude toward his subject. The reader must learn to "hear" their tones with his mind's ear.

Sound DevicesRhythm the pattern created by stressed and unstressed syllables of words in sequence. A pattern of rhythm is called meter.

Rhyme is the repetition of identical sounds in the last syllables of words. A pattern of rhyme at the ends of lines is a rhyme scheme.

Alliteration or initial rhyme, is the repetition of the initial consonant sounds of words, as in light and lemon.

Assonance or vowel rhyme, is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, as in the words date and fade.

Consonance the repetition of consonants within nearby words in which the preceding vowels differ, as in the words milk and walk.

Graphic ElementsPoets use graphic elements to help readers to understand the poem and to strengthen the sound or visual appeal of the poem.

Punctuation marks, such as commas, show the reader where to slow down or pause.

Line length can help determine whether a poem has a flowing sound or a short, choppy sound.

Word position can show relationships between words and ideas.

Capital letters Capitalizing the first word in a line is one of the traditional tools of poetry writing, and using or not using it is a decision that a poet should make after some consideration.  But whatever the decision, the practice today is clearly personal.

Types of PoetryThere are three main types of

poetry.

1.Narrative poetry tells a story with a plot, characters, and a setting.•Epic is a long narrative poem

about the feats of gods or heroes.

•Ballad is a songlike narrative with stanzas and a refrain.

2. Dramatic poetry tells a story using a character’s own thoughts or spoken statement

3. Lyric poems express the feelings of a single speaker

• Lyrics are the most common type of poem in modern literature.

Poetic Structure

Poems can also be categorized by structure, or form. Poetic structures are defined by patterns of line and stanza length, rhythm, and rhyme. Some examples are:

Haiku is a verse form with three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables

Free verse poems have neither a set pattern of rhythm or rhyme.

Bio Poem and I Am Poem are poem types which tell about the life of an individual, following a very specific format.

Acrostic Poem tells about the word. It uses the letters of the word for the first letter of each line.

Imagery Poems draw the reader into poetic experiences by touching on the images and senses which the reader already knows.

Analyzing Poetry

Analysis means literally picking a poem apart - looking at elements such as imagery,symbolism, allusion, metaphor, poetic language, rhyme scheme, and so on - in order to see how they all work together to produce the poem's meaning. Annotating is a great way to begin analyzing a poem.

Annotating a PoemAnnotation is the act of adding notes. STEP UP:

S: Subject Matter – What is the poem about? Look at the title.

T: Theme – What is the message of the poem?

E: Emotions – Tone? Mood?

P: Poetic Devices – Look for figurative language and sound devices.

U: Your response – What do you think?

P: Positioning – look at the graphic elements in the poem

Paragraphs about Poetry• Literary paragraphs can be written about poems,

just as they can about short stories or a novel. All the rules are the same:– Literary opening (author, title, genre)– Answer the question in one sentence = thesis!– Present tense, no contractions, 3rd person, PEE x3– Quote integration, but use line number instead of

page number, like this:• When Carroll says the Jabberwock has “eyes of flame” (line

14) and “claws that catch” (line 5), he is implying that it is a dangerous beast.

– If your quotation goes over two lines, show the end of a line with a slash (/):• Hughes writes, “What happens to a dream deferred?/Does

it dry up/Like a raisin in the sun?” (lines 1-3).