POETRY
ENGLISH 2
A STUDY OF
SONGS
IN ONE WORD…
What is poetry?
Give your opinion.
T YPES OF POETRY
 Narrative – tells a story
 Lyric – talks about feelings/emotions
 Epic – very long about a “national” hero’s
journey
 Dramatic – has “characters” who speak
(sometimes to one another)
 Elegy – tribute to someone who has died
 Sonnet – specific form (8 & 6 or 6 & 8 lines)
emotional poem written to a particular person
(Shakespeare wrote many)
 Others??? – ballad, blank verse, haiku, ode,
etc.
T YPES OF POETRY – NOTEBOOK
Take a look/listen to the poems and then
classify them as one of the types of
poetry. Tell what makes them fit the
type.
“Everything Has Changed”
“Cop Car”
The Odyssey
“River” – Note the context of this piece – about a young actor
who tragically overdosed.
 “Wake Me Up”
 “American Pie”
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“SPEAKER” OF A POEM
Narrator – one who “tells the poem” –
NOT necessarily the author/writer
Point of View – perspective from which
the poem is told (usually 1 st or 3 rd
person)
Characters – “people” in the poem
(either the speaker or those
depicted/created in dramatic poetry)
“SPEAKER” OF A POEM - NOTEBOOK
Looking specifically at “Cop Car” answer
the following:
1. WHO is the narrator? (Not necessarily
a name, just WHAT do we know about
the narrator? How do we know?)
2. What point of view is used?
3. What “characters” take part in the
poem?
“SPEAKER” OF A POEM - NOTEBOOK
Looking specifically at “Doesn’t Remind
Me” answer the following:
1. WHO is the narrator? (Not necessarily
a name, just WHAT do we know about
the narrator? How do we know?)
2. What point of view is used?
3. Is the speaker necessarily the author?
Why would a writer not write as
himself? What purpose could it serve?
STRUCTURE OF A POEM
Stanza – group of related lines that form
a division or section of a poem
Refrain/Chorus – regularly repeated
words, lines, or sections in a poem/song
Repetition – reappearance of a word,
phrase or structure
Parallelism – repetition of a structural
pattern (lines or sections set up the
same way)
POETIC STRUCTURES - NOTEBOOK
Examining “I Want Crazy” answer the
following:
1. How many stanzas are there? (Do NOT count
groupings of just one single line)
2. Which lines make up the refrain/chorus?
How many times does it occur on the
page?
3. Give example of any prominent repetition.
4. Where are there examples of parallelism?
POETIC STRUCTURES - NOTEBOOK
Examining “Wake Me Up” answer the
following:
1. How many stanzas are there? (Do NOT count
groupings of just one single line)
2. Which lines make up the refrain/chorus?
How many times does it occur on the
page?
3. Give example of any prominent repetition.
4. Where are there examples of parallelism?
“SOUNDS” OF A POEM
Rhythm – arrangement of stressed &
unstressed syllables – the “beat” of the poem
Rhyme – repetition of sounds – vowels +
ending consonants (e.g. cat and hat)
End Rhyme – rhyming words occurring at the
end of successive lines of poetry
Rhyme Scheme – pattern of end rhyme in
poetry (can be charted w/ alphabet symbols)
Internal Rhyme – rhyming words within one
line of poetry (e.g. “put a little gravel in my travel”)
END RHYME – CLASS PRACTICE
Using “Wake Me Up” let’s chart the end rhyme
directly onto the page.
 Start with the letter a for the 1 st line
 If the next line ends with a rhyme for the 1 st , label it a
again. If NOT label it b.
 Each time a new sounding end word occurs, give it the
next available letter.
 Each time a rhyming end word occurs, give it the same
letter as the last time that rhyme sound was labeled.
 Sometimes, it’s a judgment call when the rhyme is
imperfect, but you will see patterns emerge. Trust
them.
Further practice with “Uprising.”
“SOUNDS” OF A POEM - NOTEBOOK
Examining “Wagon Wheel” answer the
following:
1. Is there a rhythmic element to the lines
when read aloud? Is it a regular rhythm or
one imposed by the musical
arrangement?
2. Find & list 3 sets of rhyming words.
3. Chart the end rhyme on the poem itself.
Is there a regular pattern of end rhyme?
4. Note that there really isn’t any clear
internal rhyme within the lines in this
poem.
“SOUNDS” OF A POEM
Alliteration – repetition of consonant sounds
in words close together ( e.g. “fabulous and fantastic
friends)
Assonance – repetition of vowel sounds in
words close together (e.g. “please agree to provide eats”)
Onomatopeoia – word whose sound imitates
its meaning (e.g. whip, buzz, chatter)
Word Choice – *note that words are chosen
very carefully by poets to create any and all of
the “sounds” of a poem
MORE “SOUND” - NOTEBOOK
 Examining “The a Team” answer the following:
1. Find & list an example of internal rhyme
( i mpe r fec t rhy m e w i l l be a c c e pt a bl e)
2. Find & list at least 3 examples of alliteration.
3. Find & list at least 2 examples of assonance.
* Note this poem is powerful, some background
knowledge is important to understanding it. (“The a
team” refers to Class A narcotics of which meth is
one). It contains much figurative language and strong
imagery.
4. Notice word choice is important in making this
work “poetic.” Careful selection by the writer
makes a difference.
LANGUAGE & “PICTURES” OF A POEM
Figurative Language – words used to mean
something OTHER than their literal meaning
Simile – comparison of relatively unlike things
using comparison words like, as or than
Metaphor – comparison of relatively unlike
things without comparison words / implies
that one thing is another
Hyperbole – exaggeration for effect
Personification – describing inanimate or
animal forms in human terms
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE - NOTEBOOK
After reading “Breathe (2am)” locate a
simile. Explain what two things are
compared and what it might mean.
Simile: “You can’t jump the track, we’re
like cars on a cable”
Simile: “Life’s like an hourglass glued to
the table”
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE - NOTEBOOK
After reading “Breathe (2am)” locate a
metaphor. Explain what two things are
compared and what it might mean.
Metaphor: “Unravel my latest mistake?”
Metaphor: “No one can find the rewind
button, girl.”
Metaphor: “Cradle your head in your
hands”
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE - NOTEBOOK
After reading “Breathe (2am)” locate an
example of personification. Explain what
is being described in human terms and
what this might mean.
Personification: “so accusing their eyes”
Personification: “threatening the life it
belongs to”
Personification: “are my diary, screaming
out loud”
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE - NOTEBOOK
Sometimes the figurative language is
bigger than individual examples and
includes the whole idea of the work.
After reading “Welcome to the Fishbowl”
explain what “the fishbowl” really is?
What kind of figurative language is used
in this comparison? Explain what it
means to be “swimmin’ around” in the
“fishbowl.”
LANGUAGE & “PICTURES” OF A POEM
Imagery – use of words/language to create a
visual or otherwise sensory image of whatever
is described (The better the imagery, the more
the reader can imagine themselves immersed
in the poem.)
Word Choice *note that words are chosen
carefully by the poet to create imagery
through detail and figurative language
“IMAGES” IN POETRY - NOTEBOOK
After reading “Royals” think about what
images are in your mind. What lines of the
poem help you see pictures, depict
lifestyles?
Is there any contrast between these
images? Explain it.
Is the imagery only visual or are there other
sensory elements? Give examples.
What specific word choices contribute to
the imagery?
“IMAGES” IN POETRY - NOTEBOOK
After reading “Slow Dancing in a Burning
Room” think about what images are in
your mind.
Is the imagery only visual or are there
other sensory elements? Give examples.
What specific word choices contribute to
the imagery?
How is repetition important to the
imagery provided?
“IMAGES” IN POETRY - NOTEBOOK
Revisit “The a Team” and think about
what images are in your mind.
Give example of strong visual imagery
provided in the poem.
How is figurative language important to
the imagery provided?
INTERPRETATION OF POETRY
What does it mean?
*The question is really what do you think it
means? And why do you think that? Can you
explain?
Tone – attitude of the writer toward the
subject
INTERPRETATION OF POETRY NOTEBOOK
Looking again at “Uprising.”
What do YOU think this poem is about?
Give reasons for your thoughts.
“ALL-RIGHT, ALL-RIGHT, ALL-RIGHT”
TEXT OR CONTEXT?
Consider –
Meaning of a word: discombobulate
By itself, do you know what it means?
In context: “The method of execution shall
be discombobulation!” declared the king
of the land.
INTERPRETATION OF POETRY
Textual
What can you find in the actual text and
ONLY in the text?
What words in the poem contribute to your
thoughts on, opinions of, or connections with
the poem?
For textual analysis – all you have is the
poem (or story or whatever you’re reading)
TEXTUAL INTERPRETATION - NOTEBOOK
After reading the three articles provided,
write a brief interpretation of the
situations described. What do you think
about the things happening in the news?
What do these kind of events say about
society?
INTERPRETATION OF POETRY
Contextual
What else do you know about the
background of the text?
Who wrote it? When? Where? Is there a
story behind the writing of the poem?
For contextual analysis – you have much
more information about the poem (or story
or whatever you’re reading)
How does it change HOW you read the
poem? What, in your interpretation,
changes?
CONTEXTUAL INTERPRETATION NOTEBOOK
After reading “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”
reconsider the articles you read earlier.
What is this poem about? How does it
connect to the articles? With a new
context, is your attitude or opinion toward
the articles altered or changed?
Why do you think a new perspective is
gained by the connection of text (the
articles) to context (the ideas in the poem)?
TEXTUAL/CONTEXTUAL INTERPRETATION
After reading “Sunday Bloody Sunday” write
a brief paragraph about it. What is it
about? Explain what point you think the
writer might be trying to make. Provide an
example from the text to back up your
point.
After listening to the information about the
historical event “Bloody Sunday” and
learning a bit more about who wrote the
song and when, what do you think it is
about? How does this context change your
understanding of the poem itself?
AN EXTRA POINT ABOUT
INTERPRETATION - NOTEBOOK
Revisit “Breathe (2am).” Check out the
6 th stanza. What does the writer say
about the writing process itself and
about what others will think about what
she has written?
Can you control the interpretation of your
writing once you send it out into the
world? Why or why not?
“Death of the Author”
MORE INTERPRETATION - NOTEBOOK
Choose any other poem we have covered
in class so far and write an
interpretation.
What do you think it means? How do you
know?
Is your interpretation textual or
contextual? (Can be both)
REFERENCES IN POETRY
Symbols – item/action used to stand
both for itself and for an idea, quality, or
belief “larger than” itself
Allusion – reference in a poem to
another literary work, important person,
or historical event with which the writer
“expects” the reader to be familiar
SYMBOLS & ALLUSIONS - NOTEBOOK
Looking back through the poems we’ve
studied, see what symbols & allusion
examples you can find. Explain.
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Cable car symbol – 2 am
Flashing lights symbol – Cop car
Opposite of symbols – Doesn’t Remind Me
Burning room symbol – Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
Symbols of rich lifestyles – Royals
Historical allusion – Sunday Bloody Sunday
Criminal knowledge allusion – The a Team
Pop culture allusion (British) – Royals
Censorship – government control allusion – Uprising
Etc.
EVALUATION
Assessment on Poetry Format
4 poems to read
Questions to answer much like work we have done
in notebooks this week
Review the terms & how they work in poems