Poetry Overview

Poetry is concentrated thought which focuses our attention simultaneously on the combination of rhythm and image to express its meaning.

Where Were You Yesterday? Prose Yesterday it rained, and I stood out in it hoping by chance that you’d just happen to come outside. But I knew that if you did come out, we’d never be like we were before. Maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t come out. Besides, who comes out in the rain anymore just to talk?

Where Were You Yesterday? Poetry Yesterday it rained and I stood out in it hoping by chance that you’d just happen to come outside. But I knew that if you did come out, we’d never be like we were before. Maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t come out. Besides who comes out in the rain anymore just to talk?

Prose Vs. Poetry No rhyme No pattern/rhythm No line division Can use images Can target emotions Divisions are paragraphs Rhymed/Unrhymed Follows a beat/has rhythm Line division Uses images to focus on a particular idea Targets emotions through use of images Divisions are stanzas

Poetry Vocabulary Prose-Opposite of poetry, paragraph form Formula poetry -Poems that must follow certain guidelines (and, most of the time, a certain rhyme scheme) to be classified as a particular kind of poem Cinquain-Five line poem in which each line requires a certain number of syllables (1st line-2, 2nd line-4, 3rd line-6, 4th line-8, 5th line-2) Limerick-Funny poem with rhyme scheme of aabba Haiku-Japanese nature poem of three unrhymed lines (syllables in line 1-5, line 2-7, line 3-5)

Poetry Vocabulary Rhyme Scheme-Pattern made by how poem rhymes at the end of a line-letters assigned to lines according to end rhyme Alliteration-Repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words in a poem (ex. My mom made my Monday more magnificent.) Onomatopoeia-Words that imitate sounds (ex. pow, bang, pop) Enjambment-Continuation of a complete thought / idea from one line to the next Couplet-Pair of lines that are the same length and usually rhyme Quatrain-Stanza / poem of four lines

Poetry Vocabulary Consonance-Repetition of consonants in a line-not at the beginning (ex. Sue was passing Art class.) Assonance-Repetition of the same sounds in a line (ex. Saul was filled with awe over Mardi Gras.) End Rhyme-How poem rhymes at the ends of lines Stanza-Lines of poetry that form a division in the poem Stress-Syllables stand out because they have a different pitch or are stronger than other syllables Accent-Emphasis given to a syllable or word shown by a small mark above stressed syllable

Poetry Vocabulary Meter-Arrangement of a line of poetry by the rhythm of stressed and unstressed syllables Idiom-Words are not meant to be taken word for word (ex. You are pulling my leg.) Literal -Words are meant to be taken word for word Tone-Emotion or feelings author felt or wants audience to feel while reading poem (aka mood) Figurative Language -Expressions used to create memorable poems (ex. idioms, alliteration, onomatopoeia)

“I Can’t Write a Poem” poem Forget it. You must be kidding. I’m still half asleep. My eyes keep closing. My brain isn’t working. I don’t have a pencil. I don’t have any paper. My desk is wobbly. I don’t know what to write about. And besides, I don’t even know how to write a poem. I’ve got a headache. I need to see the nurse. Time’s up? Uh oh! All I have is this dumb list of excuses. You like it? Really? No kidding. Thanks a lot. Would you like to see another one. -Bruce Lansky

Kidnapped And drove for 20 miles or This morning I got kidnapped At least for 20 minutes, and then Dragged me from the car down to Some cold and moldy basement, Where they stuck me in a corner And went off to get the ransom Leaving one of them to guard me With a shotgun pointed at me, Tied up sitting on a stool… That’s why I’m late for school! This morning I got kidnapped By three masked men. They stopped me on the sidewalk, And offered me some candy, And when I wouldn’t take it They grabbed me by the collar, And pinned my arms behind me, And shoved me in the backseat Of this big black limousine and Tied my hands behind my back With sharp and rusty wire. Then they put a blindfold on my eyes So I couldn’t see where they took me, And plugged up my ears with cotton So I couldn’t hear their voices. -Shel Silverstein

Irritating Sayings For the five hundredth time Isn’t it about time you thought about bed? It must be somewhere You speak to him Harold, he won’t listen to me. Who do you think I am? You’d better ask your father It’s late enough as it is Don’t eat with your mouth open. In this day and age Did anybody ask your opinion I remember when I was a boy And after all we do for you You’re not talking to your school friends now, you know Why don’t you do it the proper way I’m only trying to tell you What did I just say? Now, wrap up warm B-E-D spells bed Sit up straight and don’t gobble your food For the five hundredth time Don’t let me ever see you do that again Have you made your bed? Can’t you look further than your nose? No more lip Have you done your homework? Because I say so Don’t come with those fancy ways here Any more and you’ll be in bed My, haven’t you grown Some day I won’t be here, then you’ll see A chair’s for sitting on You shouldn’t need telling at your age Want, want, want, that’s all you ever say

Rhyme Scheme Example: Like the sun behind the clouds A Pattern of rhyme in a stanza or poem. You can identify the rhyme scheme in stanzas by looking at the last word in the line and assigning letters to the rhyming words Example: Like the sun behind the clouds A Like the darkness of the night B Like the grass beneath the trees C You stepped into the light… B

Rhyme Scheme Practice 1. I knew I’d have to grow up sometime, ______ That my childhood memories would end, ______ But a spark within me died, ______ When I lost my imaginary friend. ______ 2. As the sun set and the moon came, ______ I looked out the window in dread and shame. ______ The sound of birds rose from the sky, ______ I waved my hand and bid goodbye. ______

Rhyme Scheme Practice 3. When I look into his eyes, ______ I see the deep blue sea. ______ I hope my love never dies, ______ That he’ll always be there for me. ______ 4. And here ends the saga ______ Of writers who have grown. ______ We’re successful authors, ______ Now we will be unknown. ______

Write Small / Focused Small/focused image Big/unfocused image Licking the pink frosting off the ends of the candles Strobe lights flickering over laughing faces as the beat pounds on A mountain of children’s shoes Big/unfocused image Birthday parties are fun. School dances are strange. The holocaust was inhuman.

Now, you turn these big images into small images. His car was a mess. The food did not look good. The dog was mean. Her shoes did not fit.

Image Practice How would you describe how you feel when you are angry? Directions: Read each sentence. Write your response for each question by giving as many descriptions as possible. How would you describe how you feel when you are angry? Describe how you feel after winning a game. Describe the odor of rotting garbage. Describe the scent left after a rainfall. Describe the feeling of walking on hot sand on the beach.

Mood/Voice Request to a Minstrel Sing unto me a song of seasons Of death, rebirth, and happiness. Sing unto me a song of reasons Staid thoughts and deepest contemplations. Sing unto me a song of sorrows Quiet longing and dark despair. Then, sing unto me a song of tomorrows Of joy and laughter Tarry longest there. -Andrea Cox

Mood/Voice Like, Am I Noticed I kind of got my hands on One of those slick Leather jackets And a mean sort of Cool brown hat I was just Kind of Walking down the street Sort of Minding my business I felt like You know, this… Urge to be noticed, I sort of casually walked Down the street You know To the corner This group of Like Kind of like cool kids were Sort of there I like slipped by in Kind of like a Cool manner I sort of wondered If they noticed me I kind of turned around Only to find them like Laughing at me I was Sort of like Really embarrassed kind of I kind of, like You know Went home Mike Gelanger

Cinquain Poem A five-line poem with a set number of syllables for each line. Each line adds an additional image to the subject of the poem Formula poem

Cinquain Formula Line 1 2 syllables Subject Line 2 4 syllables Description of subject Line 3 6 syllables Describes an action Line 4 8 syllables Expresses a feeling Line 5 2 syllables Another word for subject Example Summer Fruits, ice cream, fun Swimming, playing, laughing No homework, only sun, I smile Three months

Simile Poem Prejudice Prejudice is like the feeling you get When you’re left out of a game It is like the music of A seashell: hollow and distant It’s when you never reach the front door; Always being turned away at the first step. Kimberly Harmon

Metaphor Line-by-Line Poem The Highwayman The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding-riding-riding- The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door. Alfred Noyes (excerpt)

Simile Line-by-Line Example Dream Deferred What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over- Like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? Langston Hughes

Metaphor Poems Line-by-Line Metaphor Hate is a sore, festering and bubbling on the heart Hate is a single-leafed tree, its owner weak and alone Hate is a wilted rose, time has worn it from beauty to wretchedness Hate is a zit, ready to burst Hate is the Hulk, small when calm, huge and fierce when agitated Hate is a snake, it swallows its enemies whole Hate is a birthday party, it can take you by surprise Hate is a tree, it stands the test of time Hate is a rubber band, it will snap when pulled too hard Hate is a deadly disease, something you don’t want to catch

Metaphor Poems Extended Metaphor Hate is a zit Earned by debris, dirt, oil, grime Kicked into a face By a filthy world It begins beneath the surface Then pokes out its disgusting head Makes the face turn red And grows and grows Until finally It explodes

Alliteration Cafeteria Chaos The line lingers, My stomach growls. Tina topples her tray, And the whole place howls! Spinach spills! Pass the paper towels! Someone pings a pea, And the fifth grade teacher frowns! What’s likely at lunch? Everyone chomps and chows down!

Limerick Formula Poem Humorous and often bawdy (inappropriate ) 5 lines total Rhyme Scheme AABBA Beats-Lines 1, 2, 5 have 3 beats Lines 3-4 have 2 beats First line usually has the name of a place (often a fictional name made up to rhyme with the rest of the poem)

Limerick Examples: There was an Old Person whose habits, Induced him to feed upon rabbits; When he'd eaten eighteen, He turned perfectly green, Upon which he relinquished those habits. There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, 'It is just as I feared! Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!'

Onomatopoeia Poem What Some People Do Jibber, jabber, gabble, babble Cackle, clack, and prate, Twiddle, twaddle, mutter, stutter Utter, splutter, blate… Chatter, patter, tattle, prattle, Chew the rag and crack, Spiel and spout and spit it out, Tell the world and quack… Sniffle, snuffle, drawl and bawl, Snicker, snort, and snap, Bark and buzz and yap and yelp, Chin and chip and chat… Shout and shoot and gargle, gasp, Gab and gag and groan, Hem and haw and work the jaw, Grumble, mumble, moan… Beef and bellyache and bat, Say a mouthful, squawk, That is what some people do When they merely talk.