Writing Assessment
Poetic Techniques
Subject Matter
Subject matter refers to the content of the poem, that is, what the poem is about.
Theme
The theme of a poem is the poet’s message or purpose in writing the poem.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere or mood of a poem is the feeling or tone expressed. Mood or atmosphere can
be described in many ways, for example exhilaration, fury, sadness, joy, bitterness, misery or
sarcasm.
Sound devices
Sound devices include a range of poetic techniques designed to enhance the reader’s
appreciation of a poem by appealing to their sense of hearing.
Examples of sound devices include:
 Rhyme
This is the repetition of a sound pattern either within or at the end of lines. Consecutive
rhyme is when lines that follow each other rhyme, for example the following lines have the
rhyming scheme AABB:
The splendour of the night sky
Is mirrored by your eyes
Your smile like a rose unfolds
To show the beauty of your soul
Alternate rhyme is where non-consecutive lines rhyme, for example the following lines have
the rhyming scheme ABAB:
The splendour of the night sky
The beauty of a blooming rose
Are mirrored in your eyes
And captured by your soul
 Rhythm
Rhythm is the metre or beat within a poem. Rhythm can be described as regular, irregular
and following that of natural speech.
 Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of the first consonant of words. In the following line, the repetition
of the ‘t’ sound is an example of alliteration: ‘Tommy tip toed across the tarmac’.
 Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound. In the following example, the repetition of the
‘ee’ sound is an example of assonance: ‘He slowly creeps up the peak’.
 Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeic words are those that echo their sense. For example, the words ‘zip’, ‘crash’,
‘hum’, ‘meow; ‘ and ‘smack’ sound very much like the actions they are describing.
Sight imagery
Sight imagery refers to the visual pictures which are created by words and phrases within
poetry. Examples of sight imagery include:
 Simile
Simile refers to the comparison of one thing to another. In the following line, the colour of a
woman’s lips are compared to the colour of roses: ‘Her lips were as red as roses’.
 Metaphor
Metaphor is when one thing is called another rather than being compared to another. In the
following line, a woman’s lips are said to be a red rose bud: ‘Her lips were a red rose bud’.
 Personification
Personification is when a non-living thing is given a living quality. In the following line, ‘the
toothbrush takes on human qualities: ‘The toothbrush scrubbed and scratched at the boy’s
teeth’.
 Analogy
Analogy is when one idea is supported by a parallel example, which
may be sustained throughout a poem. Writing Assessment
Poetry Analysis: Structured Overview
Sound Devices
Sight Imagery
Rhyme
Simile
Rhythm
Metaphor
Atmosphere
Cumulation
Personification
Theme/Purpose
Alliteration
Subject Matter
Context/Audience
Writing Assessment
Poetry Analysis: Structured Overview
Sound Devices
Sight Imagery
Rhyme
Simile
Rhythm
Metaphor
Atmosphere
Cumulation
Personification
Theme/Purpose
Alliteration
Subject Matter
Context/Audience
Municipal Gum
Gumtree in the city street,
Hard bitumen around your feet,
Rather you should be
In the cool world of leafy forest halls
And wild bird calls
Here you seems to me
Like that poor cart-horse
Castrated, broken, a thing wronged,
Strapped and buckled, its hell prolonged,
Whose hung head and listless mien express
Its hopelessness.
Municipal gum, it is dolorous
To see you thus
Set in your black grass of bitumen-O fellow citizen,
What have they done to us?
Ooderoo Noonuccal (Kath Walker)
Never Shall I Forget
NEVER SHALL I FORGET that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into on long night
seven times sealed.
Never shall I forget that smoke.
Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a
silent sky.
Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forge the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live.
Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.
Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself.
Never
Elie Wiesel
Year 10 English
Analytical Paragraphs
Poetry Analysis
Task: Students are to write analytical paragraphs comparing the poetic techniques used in the
two poems “Municipal Gum”, to “Never Shall I Forget” that were studied in class.
The INTRODUCTION
This is one paragraph which needs to include:
The name of the poets
The name of the poems
A summary of the task
An explanation of which techniques you will examine
The MAIN BODY
This is a series of paragraphs. Each paragraph needs to:
Identify one technique used
Explain/quote where it is used
Clearly explain how its use has added to your understanding of the poem
The CONCLUSION
This is your final paragraph which needs to:
Summarise your understanding of the poem
Reaffirm how the techniques used contribute to the overall impression of the poem
End with a general comment about poetic techniques or messages in poetry and how the
techniques used add to the message
Particular emphasis should be placed on planning, drafting and editing of this
assessment task and all parts of this process must be submitted.
Writing Assessment
Analytical Paragraphs/Essay Outline
This essay will discuss the use of the following poetic techniques ______________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
and how these techniques contribute to an understanding of ________________’s poem
“________________________”, and _______________________’s poem
“_______________________”.
The poem “__________________________________” is about _______________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________. The
poem “______________________________” is about _______________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
This meaning is generated by the use of poetic techniques.
The technique of _______________________ is used in the poems in the lines
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
The use of this technique contributes to an understanding of the poems by _______________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Another technique used in “____________and _________________” is
____________________
It is used in the poem in the following way:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
This technique has the effect of ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________ is a technique used by ____________________ “___________and
____________” in the following lines:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
The use of this technique _____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Finally, the technique of ________________________ is used in the poem in the lines:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
The effect of this is __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The poetic techniques of ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
are used by ______________________ in his/her poems “___________________________”.
These techniques contribute to the meaning of the poem which is about ________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
If used, this draft outline should serve as your first draft only. At least two more drafts are
to be produced which demonstrate your drafting and editing ability. If possible, your work
is to be presented as fully word-processed.