Journal Prompt
 What bands or artists can you think of that
address political or social issues?
 Why do you think they choose to focus on
these themes with their lyrics?
Poetic Structure & Form
 In poetry, structure and form are both terms
that refer to how a poem is put together.
 Structure: the pieces that make up a poem
 i.e.: rhyme, rhythm, line length, stanza,
punctuation
 Form: a particular type of poetry
 i.e.: ode, ballad, haiku, sonnet, limerick
Poetic Structure & Form
 The poetic structure affects what is emphasized in a
poem – what is supposed to stand out?
 If poets use a particular form, some structures are
predetermined.
 E.g. a haiku (poetic form) has the structure of 3 lines
with 17 syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count.
 An afternoon breeze
expels cold air, along with
the fallen brown leaves.
Analyzing Structure
When analyzing structure, consider…
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the poetic form, if any?
Where are the line/stanza breaks?
Where is the punctuation?
Where are the visual patterns with words?
 Rhyme/visual rhyme
 Alliteration
 Repetition
“Ex-Basketball Player” (p. 736)
1.
On a loose-leaf sheet of paper, list what you notice about the
poem’s structural elements and form (see notes on Evaluating
Structure).
2. Develop a CDW paragraph analyzing what the structure is
emphasizing in the poem.
 Claim: The structure of “Ex-Basketball Player” emphasizes X.




Data 1: Points to structural element in the poem.
Warrants (2 sentences): Explains how this structural element
creates emphasis on X.
Data 2: Points to another structural element in the poem.
Warrants (2 sentences): Explains how this additional structural
element also creates emphasis on X.
Sample Analysis Paragraph
 The structure of “Ex-Basketball Player” emphasizes the
monotonous mood of the poem. Updike uses five structured
stanzas with six lines each to describe the town, Flick’s work
place, Flick’s past, Flick’s present, and Flick’s future. The pattern
allows the reader to understand that Flick’s life will not change
and continue in this pattern. He is stuck following the same daily
routine. The beat pattern further illustrates Flick’s basic life,
following iambic pentameter throughout the poem. This creates
the mundane effect Updike intends for the reader to experience.
The basic life of a washed up high school star that is now
unexceptional is created through his structured beat, it will not
change.