Poems & Poetry
Each day for the next two school weeks, you will learn about and practice writing
different styles of poems...
Week One:
Mon: English Sonnet
Tue: Italian Sonnet
Wed: Ballade
Thu: Ballad
Fri: Ode
Week Two:
Mon: Haiku
Tue: Tanka
Wed: Cinquain
Thu: Limerick
Fri: Quiz & Open Choice
Take notes in your notebook
Practice poems will be written on separate paper, and turned-in
What is a Sonnet?
A sonnet is a poem about an expressive thought or idea
14 lines, each line is 10 syllables long
Its rhymes are arranged according to one of two schemes or styles: Italian or
English...
Italian = Two quatrains followed by six lines
English = Three quatrains followed by a rhyming couplet
The Structure of a Sonnet
The “recipe” of a sonnet depends on the style used...
English-style sonnet: A-B-A-B | C-D-C-D | E-F-E-F | G-G
Italian-style sonnet: A-B-B-A | A-B-B-A | C-D-E-C-D-E
The LETTERS indicate end rhyming words
Example of an English-style Sonnet
(A)
(B)
(A)
(B)
Scribbler! oh what a joy you can find here
Eric is the one that heads the great team
Full of poems, stories and happy cheer
Hopefully it will make our readers gleam
(C)
(D)
(C)
(D)
Bronte's Grammar is full of homework help
Guest authors revealing secrets galore
While the tricky puzzles will make you yelp
There is no way Scribbler! will make you snore
(E)
(F)
(E)
(F)
Eric will start a tale needing an end
Fancy a challenge? Puzzle Time is here
Shakespeare picks the great pictures you all send
Ev'ry issue's jam-packed, let's give a cheer
(G) How 'bout finding Eric hidden away
(G) Jump on the Scribbler! wagon, come and play!
Your Turn to Write a Sonnet
Use the structure rules to write a sonnet about:
Your favorite time of year (ex: holiday, birthday, vacation)
Some things to consider or envision:
- The season
- Who or what your see, smell, hear
- Where you are
- What you do on the day(s)
- Are you alone? If not, who are you with
What is a Ballade?
A ballade is a type of poem that first became popular in 14th
century Europe
In old times, a ballade was often taught and recited with music
or rhythm to be learned more easily
The Structure of a Ballade
The “recipe” of a ballade includes three “ingredients” . . .
Stanza
Envoy
Refrain
Rhyme scheme for the stanzas is a-b-a-b
Rhyme scheme for the envoy is b-c-b-C
The capital letters in the rhyme schemes show where
the refrain will be
Example of a Ballade
(a)
(b)
(a)
(b)
The bell sounds its last ring
And others join in symphony.
Down the street I’m running
Twelve whole weeks in front of me.
(b)
(c)
(b)
(C)
No more boring History,
Or listening to what teachers say.
This is the day that makes me happy
Because I am on holiday! (Capital C = holiday; holiday is the refrain)
(a)
(b)
(a)
(b)
I wonder what the summer will bring?
Jumping in rivers and climbing a tree,
When the sun is bright and shining.
Staying indoors when outside it’s rainy.
(b)
(c)
(b)
(C)
Playing on the Xbox or the Wii.
Whatever the weather I’ll be okay.
No more happy could I be
Because I am on holiday! (Capital C = holiday; holiday is the refrain)
Your Turn to Write a Ballade
Use the structure rules to write a ballade about:
Your favorite food or cuisine (style; Chinese, for example)
Some things to consider before writing:
-
Who or what your see, smell, hear
Where are you when you eat your favorite food/cuisine?
How is it prepared or who prepares it?
What are the ingredients?
Are you alone when you eat it? If not, who are you with?
Why do you enjoy it so much?
What is a Ballad?
A Ballad is a poem that tells a story
Ballads are often used in songwriting because of their rhyme
scheme
A ballad is a poetic story, often a love story
The Structure of a Ballad
The ballad structure is as simple as matching end rhyme
words in pairs (A-A-B-B) or triplets (A-A-A-B-B-B)
Example of a Ballad
(A) Late this morning, early last night
(A) Two dead boys got up to fight.
(B) Back-to-back each faced the other,
(B) Drew their swords and shot each other.
(C) A deaf policeman heard the noise
(C) He came and shot alive the two dead boys
(D) Don’t believe my story’s true?
(D) Ask the blind man, he saw it too!
Your Turn to Write a Ballad
Use the structure rules to write a ballad about:
Walking down the hallway at school
Some things to consider or envision:
- The time of day
- Who or what your see, smell, hear
- Where you came from (ex: your locker)
- Where you are going
- What you are thinking
- Are you alone? If not, who are you with
What is an Ode?
An ode is a lyric poem
An ode usually addresses a particular person or thing
The style originated in Ancient Greece
Structure of an Ode
An ode does not have a rhyme scheme or syllable count
An ode does have lines, and follow a single theme
Odes use similes, metaphors, and sometimes hyperbole.
Example of an Ode
Oh Olive,
You are as precious to me as any gem,
With your beautiful, pure skin as smooth as silk
And as green as the grass in summertime.
I love your taste and the smell of your tender fruit
Which hides beneath your green armor.
Oh Olive, sweet, tasty Olive,
How I love you so and my mealtimes wouldn't be the same
If you weren't in my life.
Oh Olive,
Nothing can compare to you, nothing at all,
You are food of the gods, a king's riches
And, most importantly, you are mine, oh Olive!
Your Turn to Write an Ode
Use the structure rules to write an ode about:
Your favorite celebrity / famous person
Some themes or topics to consider:
Dreams, Emotions, Family, Friendship, Hopes, Loss, Love, Memories, etc.
In-class ode must have four quatrains
After in-class ode is checked-off, write another ode about whatever topic you wish
What are Cinquain, Haiku, & Tanka Poems?
Cinquain, Haiku, and Tanka poems are short-verse works that
usually don’t have a rhyme scheme (though they can)
All three types of poems follow strict rules on syllable counts per
line
All three types of poems usually follow a single theme and express
a thought or feeling about the theme
Structures of Cinquain, Haiku, & Tanka Poems
Cinquain syllable counts per line:
Line 1 = Two syllables
Line 2 = Four syllables
Line 3 = Six syllables
Line 4 = Eight syllables
Line 5 = Two syllables
Haiku syllable counts per line:
Line 1 = Five syllables
Line 2 = Seven syllables
Line 3 = Five syllables
Tanka syllable counts per line:
Line 1 = Five syllables
Line 2 = Seven syllables
Line 3 = Five syllables
Line 4 = Seven syllables
Line 5 = Seven syllables
Examples of Cinquain, Haiku, & Tanka Poems
Cinquain
(2-4-6-8-2)
Haiku
(5-7-5)
Tanka
(5-7-5-7-7)
My mom
Is so caring
She is always helpful
She is so beautiful and kind
My mom
The sky is so blue
The sun is so warm up high
I love the summer
I love my kitten
She is so little and cute
She has a pink nose
And lots of long whiskers too
She purrs loud when I pet her
Your Turn to Write a Cinquain, Haiku, & Tanka
Use the structure rules to write a cinquain, a haiku, and a
tanka
Some themes or topics to consider:
-
Dreams
Emotions
Family
Friendship
Hopes
Loss
Love
Memories
What is a Limerick?
Silly five-line poem that makes fun of something or teases; some
are really quite mean-spirited and vulgar
The style originated in 13th century England churches, but not wellknown until 18th century
Limericks have set rhyme meter and scheme rules that must be
followed
Structure of a Limerick
Rhyme scheme = A-A-B-B-A
Rhyme meter:
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (A)
da DUM da da DUM (B)
da DUM da da DUM (B)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (A)
Examples of a Limericks
There was an old man from Peru (A = “ooh” sound)
Who dreamed he was eating his shoe (A = “ooh” sound)
He awoke in the night (B = “ite” sound)
With a terrible fright (B = “ite” sound)
To find that his dream was quite true (A= ooh sound)
There once was a fellow named Tim (A = “im” sound)
Whose dad never taught him to swim (A = “im” sound)
He fell off a dock (B = “ock” sound)
And sunk like a rock (B = “ock” sound)
And that was the end of him (A = “im” sound)
The limerick packs laughs anatomical (A = “ickle”)
Into space that is quite economical (A = “ickle”)
But the good ones I've seen (B = “een”)
So seldom are clean (B = “een”)
And the clean ones so seldom are comical (A = “ickle”)
Your Turn to Write a Limerick
Keep in mind the meter ... The poem should be said aloud in a sing-song meter
Keep to one topic or theme throughout the poem
Target is three in-class practice poems
Keep rhyme scheme in mind ... The limerick must rhyme every line or every other line
Topic or theme ideas:
– Advice about life
– A funny idea
– A moral lesson
– A silly story based on something that happened in your life
Structure of an Acrostic
A word or phrase is chosen to be written vertically down the side or middle of a
paper
“Cross” words are made using the letters of the “down” word(s)
– The “proper” method is to use the letters of the “down” words as the first
letters of “cross” words
– If necessary, the “down” word letters can be end or middle letters of the
“cross” words
Acrostics DO NOT have to rhyme, but making them rhyme is a fun challenge; it is
also challenging to try making a sentence (or even a paragraph) out of the acrostic
Acrostics are written for a single theme or topic
Example of an Acrostic
Awesomely annoying
Cross words
Really fun and challenging
Often used for study guides
Simple to do
Topic- or theme-related
It doesn’t have to rhyme
Consider making it rhyme for a challenge
Your Turn to Write an Acrostic
Try to use each “down” letter as the first letter of a “cross” word
You can use “down” letters for middle or end letter of “cross” words
Try to either make it rhyme, or to make it one single sentence
Incorporate elements of the topic or theme into the acrostic
Topic:
– Your first name, middle initial, and last name
Your Turn to Write an Acrostic
Creative
Hefty
Authoritative
Daffy
Annoying
Manatee-like
Land-Walrus
Obese
Person
Excessive
Successful