PoetryPoetry PoetryPoetry Terms and ExamplesTerms and Examples
PART IPART I
Form• The way a poem’s
lines and words are arranged on the page. – Most common
forms are the ballad, epic, ode, sonnet, and free verse.
Lines and Stanzas• Poems are written in lines, which
can vary in length. Lines are grouped together in stanzas; separated by a space.
• The poet chooses the line length to fit the rhythm, feeling, or thought expressed in the poem.
Rhyme• Repetition of sounds at the
end of words• Internal Rhyme: rhyming
words within the same line• End Rhyme: use of rhymes at
end of lines• Rhyme Scheme: pattern of
end rhymes in a poem
Rhythm• The pattern of sound
created by stressed and unstressed syllables in a line
• Stressed syllables are word parts that are read with emphasis, while unstressed syllables are less emphasized
Repetition• Sounds, words, phrases, or lines
that are stated or used more than once in a poem.
• Used to emphasize an idea or convey a certain meaning
• Happy, happy, happy, so happy!
Symbol• A person, place, an
object, or an action that stands for something beyond itself.– Example: Bald Eagle is
a symbol for the United States of America.
Speaker• The speaker is the voice that talks to
the reader in a poem like a narrator in a story
• Not necessarily the poet
Voice• The distinctive style or manner of
expression• Can reveal much about the
author’s or narrator’s personality
Free Verse• Free verse is poetry
without a regular pattern of rhyme, rhythm, or meter.
• Free verse is used for a variety of subjects.
Ballad• A type of narrative poem that tells
a story. • Meant to be sung or recited• Has a setting, a plot, and
characters• Most have regular patterns of
rhythm and rhyme
Epic• A long narrative poem
about the adventures of a hero whose actions reflect the ideals and values of a nation or group
Narrative Poetry• Tells a story or
recounts events• Includes a plot,
characters and setting
• Epics and ballads
Lyric Poetry• Presents the
thoughts and feelings of a single speaker
• Sonnet, elegy, ode, and free verse
Ode• A type of lyric poem that addresses
broad, serious themes such as justice, truth, or beauty
Sonnet• A poem that has a formal
structure, containing fourteen lines and a specific rhyme scheme and meter
• Means “little song” and can be used for a variety of topics
Elegy• A type of lyric poem of mourning
or lamentation for the dead. Usually it expresses sorrow over the death of someone the poet admired, loved or respected; sometimes it simply mourns the passing of all life and beauty.
Dramatic Poetry• May also tell a story but
focuses more on character• Soliloquies and monologues
Couplet Poem
• A two-lined poem that rhymes.
• We Jack o’ Lanterns have a song
That we like to sing all night long.
PoetryPoetry PoetryPoetry Terms and ExamplesTerms and Examples
PART IIPART II
Lines and Stanzas• Poems are written in lines, which
can vary in length. Lines are grouped together in stanzas; separated by a space.
• The poet chooses the line length to fit the rhythm, feeling, or thought expressed in the poem.
Terms to learn
• Figurative Language• Alliteration• Metaphor• Simile• Personification• Imagery• Theme
Figurative Language• Writing that conveys a meaning
beyond the ordinary, literal meaning
• Ex. simile, metaphor, personification
Alliteration• The repetition of
consonant sounds at the beginnings of words
– Example: No one knows your name
Metaphor• A comparison of two
things with a common quality, but it does not use the words like or as.– Example: She is a
clown= she is crazy.
Simile• A comparison of two
things with a common quality expressed using the words like or as– Example: The dog was as
small as a mouse. – Example: The horse was
skinny like a twig.
Personification• When a poet describes
an animal or object as if it were human or had human qualities– Example: The tea cups
in Beauty and the Beast are examples of personification.
Imagery• Words and phrases
that appeal to the five senses
• Poets use imagery to create a picture in the reader’s mind
• Example: The wet green grass gleamed.
Theme• The meaning, moral,
or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work– Example: The theme
of “The Monkey’s Paw” might be that you should be careful what you wish for.
Try to write your own!