What is it really?

Poetry is…. a type of literature in which words are chosen and arranged in a compact, precise way to create specific effects

TYPES of poetry

Tells a story; it has plot and characters #1 - Narrative Tells a story; it has plot and characters

Poetry without regular patterns of rhyme and rhythym #2 – Free Verse Poetry without regular patterns of rhyme and rhythym No set rules to follow

“Fog” by Carl Sandburg The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on.

#3- Limerick …Is a short humorous poem. … Is composed of 5 lines. …has aabba rhyme scheme

Limerick Example: There was a young lady from Niger who smiled as she rode on a tiger. They returned from the ride, with the lady inside, and the smile on the face of the tiger!

# 4 - Lyric Presents the personal thought and feelings of a single speaker. Most poems, other than narratives are lyric poems. Can be a variety of forms and cover many subjects

A narrative poem that was originally meant to be sung or recited. #5 - Ballad A narrative poem that was originally meant to be sung or recited.

Form = the way it is laid out on the page Form in Poetry Form = the way it is laid out on the page unusual line breaks (even in the middle of words) lines arranged to create a visual pattern on the page

…Form Continued… The length of each line helps create rhythm and meaning. Lines may be grouped into STANZAS which express a single idea or theme. Pattern of lines and stanzas often creates pattern of rhyming words.

“Daffodils” by William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

 Stanza 1 Stanza 2 For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

A regular pattern of stressed (/) and unstressed (u) syllables Meter A regular pattern of stressed (/) and unstressed (u) syllables

A writer’s unique way of communicating ideas Style A writer’s unique way of communicating ideas It’s not what a poet says, but how a poet says it. Communicated through poet’s words, form, and use of punctuation, capitalization, and spacing

Sound Devices Are ways of using words for the sound qualities they create. Help convey meaning and mood in a writers work

End Rhyme – Rhyming words come at the end of lines Internal Rhyme – Rhyme that occurs within a line of poetry

Is it end or internal rhyme? "Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

Is it end or internal rhyme? “You’re the Top” by Cole Porter You're the top! You're the Colosseum, You're the top! You're the Louvre Museum, You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss, You're a Bendel bonnet, a Shakespeare sonnet, You're Mickey Mouse. You're the Nile, You're the Tow'r of Pisa, You're the smile on the Mona Lisa. I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop, But if, Baby, I'm the bottom, You're the top!

#2 - Rhythm Pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry Used to bring out musical quality, emphasize ideas, & create moods

Repetition of beginning consonant sounds in words #3 - Alliteration Repetition of beginning consonant sounds in words

Repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of words #4 - Assonance Repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of words Examples: “Hear the lark and harken to the barking of the dark fox gone to ground.” - Pink Floyd “Hear the mellow wedding bells.” - Edgar Allen Poe

Repeating words, sounds, or phrases to help emphasize meaning #5 - Repetition Repeating words, sounds, or phrases to help emphasize meaning From “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony. The many men, so beautiful! And they all dead did lie; And a thousand thousand slimy things Lived on; and so did I. I looked upon the rotting sea, And drew my eyes away; I looked upon the rotting deck, And there the dead men lay.

The use of words that sound like the noises they describe #6 - Onomatopoeia The use of words that sound like the noises they describe