POETIC TERMS A reference to a historical figure, place, or event. The teams competed in a David and Goliath struggle. A broad comparison between two basically different things that have some points in common. Aspirations toward space are not new. Consider the worm that becomes a butterfly. Ballad and Blank Verse Ballad: A song-like poem that tells a story Blank Verse: Poetry written in unrhymed, ten-syllable lines A Few More . . . Concrete Poem: A poem with a shape that suggests its subject Figurative Language: Writing that is not meant to be taken literally Free Verse: Poetry not written in a regular rhythmical pattern or meter Haiku: A three-lined Japanese verse A direct comparison between two basically different things. A simile is introduced by the words “like” or “as”. My love is like a red, red rose. An implied comparison between two basically different things. Is not introduced with the words “like” or “as”. His eyes were daggers that cut right through me. Lyric Poem – Highly musical verse that expresses the observations and feelings of a single speaker Extended Metaphor a comparison developed over several lines of poetry. & More . . . Onomatopoeia: The use of words that imitate sounds Example: The buzz of the bee was very loud. Narrative Poem – A story told in verse Four R’s Refrain: A regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem Rhyme: Repetition of sounds at the end of words Rhyme Scheme: A regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem Rhythm: Pattern of beats or stresses in spoken or written language Stanza A formal division of lines in a poem considered as a unit A great exaggeration to emphasize strong feeling. I will love you until all the seas go dry. Human characteristics are given to non-human animals, objects, or ideas. My stereo walked out of my car. An absent person or inanimate object is directly spoken to as though they were present. Brutus: “Ceasar, now be still. I killed not thee with half so good a will.” A part stands for the whole or vice versa. The hands that created the work of art were masterful. Hints given to the reader of what is to come. “The stalwart hero was doomed to suffer the destined end of his days.” The use of concrete details that appeal to the five senses. Cold, wet leaves floating on mosscolored water. A contrast between what is said and what is meant. Also, when things turn out different than what is expected. “The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, unbated and envenomed. The foul practice has turned itself on me.” Laertes The overall atmosphere or prevailing emotional feeling of a work. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” A seemingly selfcontradictory statement that still is true. The more we learn, the less we know. A series of events that present and resolve a conflict. The story being told. The plot of “The Most Dangerous Game” is that Rainsford is being hunted by General Zaroff. The vantage point from which an author presents the action in a work. 1st person-tale related by a character in the story. “I or me” 3rd person-story told by someone not participating in the plot. “he, she, they” Third person can be omniscient; all-knowing, all-seeing The repetition of identical sounds at the ends of lines of poetry. “He clasps the crag with crooked hands Close to the sun in lonely lands” from “The Eagle” The repetition of identical sounds within a line of poetry. “We three shall flee across the sea to Italy.” Or “Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour.” A slant rhyme or half rhyme occurs when the vowel sounds are not quite identical. “And on that cheek and o’er that brow” A mind at peace with all below” The time (both the time of day and period in history) and place in which the action of a literary work takes place. “Tiger! Tiger! burning bright In the forests of the night” The repeating of a sound, word, phrase, or more in a given literary work. “I sprang to the stirrup, and Jarvis, and he; I galloped, Derrick galloped, we galloped all three” The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words. “Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship” The repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant. “. . .that hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.” The repetition of consonant sounds that are preceded by different vowel sounds. “Wherever we go Silence will fall like dews” The use of words whose sounds suggest the sounds made by objects or activities. Other examples: buzz, hum, kiss “Blind eyes could blaze like meteors” Something concrete, such as an object, character, or scene that stands for something abstract such as a concept or an idea. Both phrases are symbols that stand for death. “Do not go gentle into that good night Rage, Rage against the dying of the light” The main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work. “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes” Comparing two very dissimilar things. Usually involves cleverness and ingenuity. This is also a simile. “Our love is like parallel lines” A term naming an object is substituted for another word with which it is closely associated. “Sweat” stands for hard work. “Only through the sweat of your brow can you achieve success” A pair of rhymed verse lines that contain a complete thought. “But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restor’d and sorrows end.” Introduction to “Hearing” Poetry • meter – comes from the Greek term for measure • poetry written in a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables • the recognition and naming of broad wave patterns in lines of verse (like waves on the shore or the wave patterns of sounds in physics) Meter continued • there are a succession of lines or sentences that have the same metrical pattern, but is not necessarily exactly rhythmically identical • lines are repeated again and again in the same broad rhythmical patterns, creating a rhythmical unit • eg: “To this I witness call the fools of Time • Which die for goodness, who have lived for crime.” Poetry has Feet • the technical meaning – has one stressed syllable and one or more unstressed syllables • is a measurable, patterned, conventional unit of poetic rhythm • the non-technical meaning – connected to how we walk • pattern and rhythm of steps equal to pattern and rhythm of poems • rhythm of music connected to movement of body and rhythmical pattern of movement Scansion • the system of using symbols to represent stressed and unstressed patterns in a poem in order to be able to “read” the poem • gives the broad wave pattern, but doesn’t define the individual wave or pattern Kinds of patterns • • • • iamb(ic) – unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable * ‘ * ‘ The way a crow * ‘ * ‘ Shook down on me. Trochee(trochaic) • stressed followed by unstressed • ‘ * ‘ * ‘ * ‘ * • Once upon a midnight dreary Anapest (anapestic) • has two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one • * * ‘ * * ‘ * * The Assyr/ ian came down/ like a • ‘ * * ‘ • wolf/ on the fold, Dactyl • one stressed followed by two unstressed • ‘ * * ‘ * * ‘ ** • Hickory, dickory, dock Spondee (spondaic) • is a foot composed of stressed syllables • ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ • We, real, cool. We left school. Pyrrhic • three unstressed followed by a stressed • * * * ‘ * * * ‘ • At their/return,/up the/high strand,/