Poetry Notes p 572-574
Elements of Poetry:
Poetry is a type of literature that uses the sounds, rhythms, and meanings of words to describe the
world in striking and imaginative ways.
Lines and Stanzas:
Lines-poetry is divided into lines
Stanzas-lines are organized into units of meanings or stanzas
Stanza break- a blank line in a poem; Signals that one stanza has ended and a new stanza is beginning
Refrains and repetition
Refrain-a line or group of lines that is repeated at regular intervals in a poem
Repetition- repeated lines, either identically or with variations
Variations-repeating lines that change one or more words with each repetition
Sound devices
Rhythm-a beat created by the stressed and unstressed syllables in words of a poem
Meter-a pattern of rhythm
Feet-what a meter is measured in; units of stressed and unstressed syllables
Rhyme-the repetition of vowel and consonant sounds at the ends of words
Rhyme scheme-the rhymes follow a particular pattern
Alliteration-repetition of consonant sounds in the beginnings of words, as in slippery slope
Repetition-the use of any element of language-a sound, word, or phrase-more than once
Onomatopoeia-the use of words that imitate sounds-splat hiss, and gurgle
Analyzing Poetic Language
Poetic language-is specific, imaginative, and rich with emotion
Shade of Meaning
Denotation-is the literal, dictionary definition of a word
Connotation-consists of the ideas and feelings that the word brings to mind
Poetry Notes p 572-574
Imagery-descriptions that appeal to the five senses to create vivid word pictures; Helps poets convey
what they see, hear, smell, taste, or touch
Figurative Language-language not meant to be taken literally
Simile-uses the word like or as to compare two seemingly unlike things
Metaphor-describes one thing as if it were something else
Personification-gives human qualities to a nonhuman subject
Analyzing Poetic Form and Structure
Every form of poetry has its own structure
Narrative-tells a story in verse; has elements similar to those in short stories such as plot and characters
Haiku-a three-line Japanese form that describes something in nature; 5-7-5 syllables
Free Verse-lack of structure; no regular meter, rhyme, fixed line length, or specific stanza pattern
Lyric-expresses thoughts and feelings, often in highly musical verse
Ballads-songlike poems that tell stories; often deal with adventure or romance
Concrete-shaped to look like their subjects; creates a picture
Limericks-humorous, rhyming five-line poems with a specific rhythm pattern and rhyme scheme