J. Fernandez
English 11
Poetry Unit
What is Poetry?

Poetry may be defined as a kind of language that says more and says things more intensely than
ordinary language.
o Poetry is anything that is not prose:
So, what is Prose?

Prose is writing that is straight-forward; poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used
for its aesthetic and evocative(reminiscent) qualities in addition to or in lieu of its apparent
meaning.
Types of Poetry (an abbreviated list)
Acrostic – a poem in which the first letters of each line are aligned vertically to form a word. The word
often is the subject of the poem.
Blank Verse- a type of poetry that contains lines that do not have end rhymes (unrhymed iambic
pentameter)
Elegy – a poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead
Epic -- A long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and
adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation.
Free Verse- poetry that does not conform to a regular meter or rhyme scheme
Haiku-a very short, unrhymed poem developed in Japan in the fifteenth century. It has a 5-7-5 syllable
structure with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the third line.
Sonnet – a poem, which expresses a single, complete thought, idea, or sentiment, comprised of 14 lines,
usually in iambic pentameter, with rhymes arranged according to one of certain definite schemes, being
in the strict or Italian form divided into a major group of 8 lines (the octave) followed by a minor group
of 6 lines (the sestet), and in a common English form into 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
Ode- a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or
enthusiastic emotion.
Poetic Terms
Cadence: The musical run of words that rises and falls as the poet sings the song.
Couplet: A pair of successive lines of verse, especially a pair that rhyme, and are of the same length.
J. Fernandez
English 11
Poetry Unit
Enjambment: A run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line
into the next. An enjambed line differs from an end-stopped line in which the grammatical and logical
sense is completed within the line.
Iamb: An unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable: da DUM
Iambic Pentameter: 5 iambs to each line
Meter: A pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry. *meter is described as iambic, trochaic,
dactylic, or anapestic*
Octave: A stanza of 8 lines in a sonnet.
Quatrain: A stanza or poem of four lines, usually with alternate rhymes.
Rhyme: The matching of final vowel or consonant sounds in two or more words.
Rhythm: The recurrence of accent or stress in lines of verse.
Sestet: The last six lines in a sonnet.
Stanza: A group of consecutive lines that forms a structural unit in a poem.
Poetic Devices
A poetic device is a tool that a poet uses to create rhythm, to enhance a poem’s meaning, or to intensify
a mood or feeling.
Some poetic devices are Figurative Language, Idiom, Imagery, Structure, Tone, etc.
SOAPSTONE (a strategy for analyzing poetry)
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
*Occasion: The time and place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing.
J. Fernandez
English 11
Poetry Unit
J. Fernandez
English 11
Poetry Unit