This is NOT a comprehensive list! Types of Poetry This is NOT a comprehensive list!
Ballad Song or songlike poem that tells a story Often has tragic ending Regular pattern of rhythm and rhyme Use simple language and repetition Generally have a refrain Words repeated at regular intervals Pg. 510 in your textbook
Blank verse Verse written in unrhymed iambic pentameter No discernible rhyme scheme, but there is structure 10 syllable line Iambic pentameter: each line contains five iambs An iamb is a type of metrical foot that consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable ( ˘ / ) See page 752 of your textbook
epic Long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society Include elements of myth, legend, folklore, and history Tone is serious and language grand Epic heroes undertake quests to achieve something of tremendous value to themselves or their society
Free verse Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme Try to capture the natural rhythms of ordinary speech To create musical effects, poets may use alliteration, assonance, internal rhyme, and onomatopoeia. They often repeat words or grammatical structures. See page 514.
haiku Japanese verse form consisting of three lines and usually seven syllables 1st line: 5 syllables 2nd line: 7 syllables 3rd line: 5 syllables Uses association and suggestion to describe a particular moment of discovery or enlightenment Presents an image of daily life that relates to a particular season
lyric Poetry that expresses a speaker’s emotions or thoughts and does not tell a story Most are short and imply, rather than state directly, a single strong emotion See pg. 466
Narrative poem Poem that tells a story Has characters Has plot Has setting (You get the idea )
Sonnet Fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in iambic pentameter Two major types of sonnets: The Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet The Shakespearean (or English) Sonnet
Two major types of Sonnets Shakespearean (English) Sonnet Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet Consists of two parts Eight-line octave Usually presents a problem, poses a question, or presents an idea abbaabba rhyme scheme Six-line sestet Resolves, answers, or drives home the problem, question, or idea. Rhyme schemes cdecde cdcdcd Three quatrains (four-line units) followed by a concluding couplet (two-line unit) Three quatrains often express related ideas or examples. The couplet sums up the poet’s conclusion or message. Most common rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg