POETRY UNIT
POETRY? POETRY IS THE ART OF EXPRESSING ONE’S THOUGHTS IN VERSE. IT USES FEW WORDS TO CONVEY ITS MESSAGE. IT IS MEANT TO BE READ ALOUD. POETRY AROUSES OUR EMOTIONS. POEMS USES IMAGERY OR FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE TO EXPLAIN FEELINGS OR TO CREATE A MENTAL PICTURE OR IDEA. POEMS CAN RHYME OR NOT RHYME.
Poetry Terms FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Figurative language refers to a way of using description to create a special image and bring out one's emotions. It is also closely linked to the senses. There are several types of figurative language. It is the category for things like similes and metaphors.
A RHYME THAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF A LINE END RHYME A RHYME THAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF A LINE
RHYME SCHEME THE PATTERN OF RHYMES IN A POEM. YOU CHART IT BY ASSIGNING LETTERS TO THE END RHYMES. Words rhyme when they have the same sound. Poets use rhyme to add a musical sound to their poems.
“Ten Minutes Till the Bus” by David L. Harrison Ten whole minutes till the bus, A Scads of time, what’s the fuss? A Two to dress, one to flush, B Two to eat, one to brush, B That leaves four to catch the bus, A
INTERNAL RHYME A RHYME THAT OCCURS WITHIN A LINE OF POETRY
RHYTHM AKA-METER THE PATTERN OF BEATS OR STRESSES Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and of all the king’s horses and all of the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.
FREE VERSE A POEM WITH NO RHYME SCHEME Sounds natural, just like everyday conversation. Poets use free verse because it allows them to experiment with the shapes and sound in their poetry.
“Blossoms” by Walter Dean Myers I never dreamt that tender blossoms would be brown Or precious angels could come down To live in the garden of my giving ear But here you are brown angel
ALLITERATION THE REPETITION OF INITIAL (BEGINNING) CONSONANT SOUNDS THINK OF A TONGUE TWISTER AND SAY IT OUTLOUD. THIS IS AN ALLITERATION!
AN ALLITERATION POEM Down the slippery slide they slid Sitting slightly sideways; Slipping swiftly see them skid On holidays and Fridays.
ONE MORE FOR FUN A fly and a flea flew up in a flue. Said the fly to the flea, “What shall we do?” “Let’s fly,” said the flea. “Let’s flee,” said the fly. So they fluttered and flew up a flaw in the flue.
SUPER TONGUE TWISTER Esau Wood sawed wood. Esau Wood would saw wood. Oh, the wood that Wood would saw! One day Esau Wood saw a saw saw wood as no other woodsaw Wood ever saw would saw wood. Of all the woodsaws Wood ever saw saw wood, Wood never saw a woodsaw that would saw wood like the woodsaw Wood saw would saw wood. Now Esau Wood saws with that saw he saw saw wood.
ASSONANCE THE REPITIION OF VOWEL SOUNDS WITHIN A WORD
ONOMATOPOEIA WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE THE NOISES THEY DESCRIBE. Poets choose words not just for what they mean, but what they sound like. Poets use onomatopoeia to liven up their writing and add fun sounds to it.
“The Fourth” by Shel Silverstein Oh CRASH! my BASH! it’s BANG! the ZANG! Fourth WHOOSH! Of BAROOM! July WHEW!
PERSONIFICATION GIVING HUMAN QUALITIES TO NON-HUMAN THINGS “THE FOG DANCED OVER THE HILL.”
“Snowy Benches” by Aileen Fisher Do parks get lonely in winter, perhaps, when benches have only Snow on their laps?
HYPERBOLE (Exaggeration) A DELIBERATE EXAGGERATION THAT DESCRIBES SOMETHING AS LARGER OR WILDLY DIFFERENT THAN IT ACTUALLY IS. Poets use exaggeration to create a mental picture and spark a reader’s imagination. “HER EYES WERE AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN”
“Beetles” by Monica Shannon Beetles must use polish, They look so new and shiny! Just like a freshly painted car, Except for being tiny. *The poet stretches the truth about how beetles become shiny to make the reader smile and to create greater interest.*
ALLUSION INDIRECT REFERENCE TO ANOTHER WORK OF ART
IMAGERY DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE USED TO CREATE PICTURES OR SPECIFIC UNDERSTANDING. USUALLY REFERENCE 1 OF THE 5 SENSES. Are “word pictures”. Helps the reader to experience familiar things in a fresh way using the senses.
“There is a Thing” By Jack Prelutsky There is a thing beneath the stair with slimy face and oily hair that does not move or speak or sing or do another single thing but sit and wait
SYMBOL SOMETHING THAT STANDS FOR SOMETHING ELSE NIGHT=DEATH SPRING=BIRTH STORM=HARD TIME ROSE=LOVE
STANZA A GROUP OF LINES , SIMILAR TO A PARAGRAPH IN WRITING. 2 LINES = COUPLET 4 LINES = QUATRAIN USUALLY DEVELOPS ONE IDEA. GIVE POEMS STRUCTURE. EMPHASIZE DIFFERENT IDEAS. BEGINNING A NEW STANZA OFTEN SIGNALS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW IMAGE, THOUGHT, OR IDEA.
“First and Last” by David McCord A tadpole hasn’t a pole at all, And he doesn’t live in a hole in the wall. You’ve got it wrong: a polecat’s not A cat on a pole. And I’ll tell you what: A bullfrog’s never a bull; and how Could a cowbird possibly be a cow? A kingbird, though, is a kind of king, And he chases a crow like anything. *Four Stanzas in Couplets, each stanza signals a new image.
SONNET A SPECIFIC TYPE OF POEM THAT USUALLY HAS: 14 LINES IAMBIC PENTAMETER 3 QUATRAINS AND 1 COUPLET RHYME SCHEME- abab, cdcd, efef, gg GENERALLY ABOUT LOVE
SIMILE COMPARING 2 UNLIKE THINGS USING LIKE OR AS Poets use comparisons between things to make you think about them in a new way. Used to surprise the reader and to create strong images.
“The World” by Noel Berry The trees are like the hair of the world. The city is like the heart of the world. The wind is a flute player playing in the night. The cars beeping horns are like buttons beeping inside the earth. Each bird is like a single piccolo singing away and the grass, just like me, being buried under the snow.
METAPHOR COMPARING TWO UNLIKE THINGS AND NOT USING LIKE OR AS The poet describes a thing or person as if it actually were the other thing or person. Creates a clear, memorable picture and tries to get you to see the original subject in a new way.
“Dreams” by Langston Hughes Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.
TONE THE WRITER’S ATTITUDE ABOUT HIS SUBJECT IN POEM’S ABOUT LOVE, IT IS USUALLY PRETTY EASY TO FIGURE OUT WHO WAS THE ONE THAT GOT DUMPED