Poetry 6th Grade Mrs. Tatum

Haiku Haiku poetry is a very short, centuries-old form of Japanese poetry that is an intriguing change of pace from the kind of rhythmic, rhyming poetry you're used to reading. Haiku is like a photo that captures the essence of what's happening, often connecting two seemingly unrelated things.

How to Write a Haiku Traditional Japanese haiku had a total of seventeen syllables divided into three clumps (or lines): five syllables seven syllables five syllables

What Do I Write About? A haiku has 17 syllables divided among three lines.   Express a single mood or emotion in your haiku.   The classic haiku theme is nature, so try using nature-based imagery as well as your own themes when you write a haiku.  

Example of a Haiku Morning Sun Dances? When the gentle rain greets dawn? With a lovely sigh? On a withered bough A crow along is perching Autumn evening now.

Acrostic Acrostic:  a poem in which special letters spell another word or make a sentence.

Acrostic Information Most often, the special letters  come at the beginning of each line. But  they may be placed  elsewhere, too. Alphabet poems  are also a special type of acrostic, called abecdearian acrostics.  

Example Panthers growl, Orioles sing, Eagles soar, Monkeys swing. See? 

Concrete Poems Concrete poetry—sometimes also called ‘shape poetry’—is poetry whose visual appearance matches the topic of the poem. The words form shapes which illustrate the poem’s subject as a picture, as well as through their literal meaning.

Concrete Poetry Example

Limerick A limerick is a silly poem with five lines.  They are often funny or nonsensical.  Limericks were made famous by Edward Lear, a famous author who wrote the "Book of Nonsense" in the 1800's. 

Limerick Rhyme Scheme The rhyme scheme of a limerick is known as “AABBA.” This is because the last words in lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme. Those are the “A’s” in the rhyme scheme. The “B’s” are the last words of lines 3 and 4.

The Rules of Limericks They are five lines long. Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme with one another. Lines 3 and 4 rhyme with each other. They have a distinctive rhythm (which I’ll explain shortly) They are usually funny.

Limerick Example There was a young fellow named Hall Who fell in the spring in the fall. ‘Twould have been a sad thing Had he died in the spring, But he didn’t—he died in the fall.

Cinquain Poetry What’s a Cinquain poem? It is a form of poetry, written like a recipe. A Cinquain is a five-line poem. The words you choose and the form they take on paper are an important part of the writing. Some people say they appear like diamonds on paper.

Creating a Cinquain Line 1:One word for the subject (noun) Line 2:Two words describing subject Line 3:Three words showing action Line 4:Four or five words expressing feeling or thought Line 5:One word that means the same thing as the first word in line 1 (describing or renaming subject)

Staring, creeping, pouncing Cinquain Example Lion Golden, strong Staring, creeping, pouncing A hunter on the prowl Predator

What Is an Image? An image is a word or phrase that appeals to one of our senses. Images can help us create a mental picture hear a sound feel texture or temperature taste a sweet, sour, or salty flavor

What Is an Image? Listen to this excerpt of “The Shell” by James Stephens and imagine the scene he describes. And straightway like a bell Came low and clear The slow, sad murmur of the distant seas, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And in the hush of waters was the sound Of pebbles rolling round, For ever rolling with a hollow sound. And bubbling sea-weeds as the waters go Swish to and fro Their long, cold tentacles of slimy grey. —from “The Shell” by James Stephens

What Is an Image? Quick Check Which words appeal to the sense of hearing? sight? touch? And straightway like a bell Came low and clear The slow, sad murmur of the distant seas, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And in the hush of waters was the sound Of pebbles rolling round, For ever rolling with a hollow sound. And bubbling sea-weeds as the waters go Swish to and fro Their long, cold tentacles of slimy grey. —from “The Shell” by James Stephens [End of Section]

What Is an Image? Quick Check Which words appeal to the sense of hearing? sight? touch? And straightway like a bell Came low and clear The slow, sad murmur of the distant seas, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And in the hush of waters was the sound Of pebbles rolling round, For ever rolling with a hollow sound. And bubbling sea-weeds as the waters go Swish to and fro Their long, cold tentacles of slimy grey. —from “The Shell” by James Stephens Hearing Sight Touch

Imagery in Poetry Poets use imagery to speak to our deepest feelings—joy, sorrow, wonder, love emphasize certain qualities of the subject create a mood Out on the land White Moon shines. Shines and glimmers against gnarled shadows, All silver to slow twisted shadows Falling across the long road that runs from the house. —from “Baby Face” by Carl Sandburg

Imagery in Poetry Imagery is part of a poet’s style a product of the poet’s own way of seeing the world a reflection of the time and place in which the poet lives

Imagery in Poetry Quick Check What mood does the poet create through his use of imagery? The Loon by Lew Sarett A lonely lake, a lonely shore, A lone pine leaning on the moon; All night the water-beating wings Of a solitary loon. With mournful wail from dusk to dawn He gibbered at the taunting stars,— A hermit-soul gone raving mad, And beating at his bars. How does the imagery affect your emotions? Explain. [End of Section]

Imagery in Poetry Quick Check What mood does the poet create through his use of imagery? The Loon by Lew Sarett A lonely lake, a lonely shore, A lone pine leaning on the moon; All night the water-beating wings Of a solitary loon. With mournful wail from dusk to dawn He gibbered at the taunting stars,— A hermit-soul gone raving mad, And beating at his bars. still, lonely, sorrowful

Imagery in Poetry Quick Check How does the imagery affect your emotions? Explain. The Loon by Lew Sarett A lonely lake, a lonely shore, A lone pine leaning on the moon; All night the water-beating wings Of a solitary loon. With mournful wail from dusk to dawn He gibbered at the taunting stars,— A hermit-soul gone raving mad, And beating at his bars. I feel sad when I picture the desolate scene and hear the bird struggling alone.

Practice Images can be drawn from all sorts of things we observe in life. For each category, create two images—one pleasant and one unpleasant. Try to include images that appeal to all five senses. Images Pleasant Unpleasant Animal images Flower images Water images Sky images Earth images City images Country images

Free verse FREE VERSE is a kind of poetry that has no real rhythm or pattern, so you can put words together in all sorts of ways. You can be VERY imaginative!

What is Free verse poetry? Anything and everything can be the topic of a  free verse lyrical poem. The poem can tell a story, describe a person, animal, feeling or object.  They can serious, sad, funny or  educational.  What ever subject that appeals to the poet can end up in free verse.

How to write Free verse Free verse does not have a set pattern of rhyme or rhythm.  There are no rules about line length in free verse. You try to keep the words that belong together on the same line, but, sometimes the poet will break these words if he/she wants to create a visual shape to support the poem's message, or feeling that the poet wishes the reader to experience. 

Example of Free Verse 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.