Types of Poetry:Types of Poetry:Lyric & NarrativeLyric & Narrative

Power Point #3Power Point #3

Lyric Poetry - Lyric Poetry - CharacteristicsCharacteristics

The The most commonmost common form of poetry form of poetry Most poetry we think of is lyric Most poetry we think of is lyric

poetrypoetry Focuses on a Focuses on a single idea or imagesingle idea or image

expresses the thoughts & expresses the thoughts & feelings of a poetfeelings of a poet

Can rhymeCan rhyme or be in or be in free versefree verse It It does NOT tell a storydoes NOT tell a story portraying portraying

characters and their actionscharacters and their actions Originated from an Originated from an ancient Greek ancient Greek

formform of poetry that was of poetry that was accompanied by a musical accompanied by a musical instrument, usually a lyre instrument, usually a lyre Very Very musical sounding wordsmusical sounding words

create a pleasant harmonious create a pleasant harmonious effecteffect

Music is composed of song Music is composed of song lyricslyrics

Page 835 -- Examples

Types of Lyric Poetry

• Songs

•Sonnets

•Ode

•Hymn

•Elegy

•Haiku

•Cinquain

•Free Verse

•Concrete

Lyric PoetryLyric Poetry“My Shadow”by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed. 

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow-- Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow; For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball, And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all. 

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play, And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way. He stays so close behind me, he's a coward you can see; I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me! 

One morning, very early, before the sun was up, I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup; But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head, Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Lyric Poetry - Free VerseLyric Poetry - Free Verse

Free Verse is poetry that usually Free Verse is poetry that usually doesn’t doesn’t have regular rhythms, rhyme patterns, have regular rhythms, rhyme patterns, or stanzasor stanzas..

It sounds more like It sounds more like conversational speechconversational speech.. Free verse can be compared to a song that Free verse can be compared to a song that

doesn’t rhyme. There can still be a doesn’t rhyme. There can still be a musical musical quality quality if the poet chooses.if the poet chooses.

Poet can Poet can express feelingsexpress feelings, emotions, and , emotions, and ideas in an imaginative way.ideas in an imaginative way.

It can be about It can be about serious or humorousserious or humorous subjects.subjects.

Free Verse - ExamplesFree Verse - Examples

“Fog”

By Carl Sandburg

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

“Infant Joy”

By William Blake

“I have no name;

I am but two days old.”

What shall I call thee?

“I happy am,

Joy is my name,”

Sweet joy befall thee!

Pretty joy!

Sweet joy, but two days old.

Sweet joy I call thee:

Thou dost smile,

I sing the while;

Sweet joy befall thee!

NARRATIVE POETRYNARRATIVE POETRY

It tells a storyIt tells a story Has characters, setting & Has characters, setting &

plot (exposition, rising plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, climax, falling action, resolution).action, resolution).

It is written in verseIt is written in verse May or may not rhymeMay or may not rhyme Ideas are organized in Ideas are organized in

stanzasstanzas

Kinds of Narrative Poetry

• Epic

• Ballad

Narrative PoetryNarrative PoetryOnce upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door." 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December,And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrowFrom my books surcease of sorrow, sorrow for the lost Lenore,.For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore,Nameless here forevermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtainThrilled me---filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,“ 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door,Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door.This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,"Sir," said I, "or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;But the fact is, I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,That I scarce was sure I heard you." Here I opened wide the door;--Darkness there, and nothing more.

“THE RAVEN”By Edgar Allan Poe (1845)

Notice how the poem even starts out like a story…”Once upon…”

This is just a small section of the poem, but if you were to go through the whole thing you would be able to fill in a plot diagram with exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.

Narrative Poetry – The Narrative Poetry – The BalladBallad

A specific type of narrative A specific type of narrative poempoem

Based on Based on ancient customsancient customs of telling stories in songsof telling stories in songs

Subject is usually an Subject is usually an adventure, a romance, or adventure, a romance, or dramatic eventdramatic event

Told in a Told in a serious, formalserious, formal wayway

Repetition & elaborate Repetition & elaborate language give it a language give it a song-like song-like qualityquality

Ballad Poems are poems that Ballad Poems are poems that tell a story similar to a folk tell a story similar to a folk tale or legend and often has a tale or legend and often has a repeated refrainrepeated refrain. .

Example of a Ballad:

• “The Wreck of the Hesperus” (pg 818)

• 80s Love Ballads (songs)

Plot Pyramid ReviewPlot Pyramid Review

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Can you identify setting? Characters? Dialogue?