LYRIC POEMS

Lyric Poems  Lyric poems are usually, but not always, short.  They express a speaker’s personal thoughts or feelings.  The elegy, ode, and sonnet are all lyrics.

The Elegy  The elegy began as an ancient Greek form and is traditionally written in response to the death of a person or group.  Although the epitaph, ode, and eulogy also deal with the theme of death, they are specifically different from the elegy.  The epitaph is very brief.  The ode solely exalts (praises).  The eulogy is most often written in formal prose.

The Elegy  The elements of a traditional elegy mirror three stages of loss:  1) a lament, where the speaker expresses grief and sorrow  2) then, praise and admiration of the idealized dead; and finally,  3) consolation and solace.

Mid-term Break – Seamus Heaney  Read and discuss  What do you notice?

The Sonnet  From the Italian word sonetto, which means “a little sound or song,” the sonnet is a popular classical form that has compelled poets for centuries.  Traditionally a sonnet had  14 lines  Was written in iambic pentameter  Followed a strict rhyme scheme  Two sonnet forms provide the models from which all other sonnets are formed:  the Petrarchan  the Shakespearean

The Petrarchan Sonnet  The Petrarchan sonnet is also called the Italian sonnet.  It is named after the Italian poet, Petrarch, who wrote many sonnets for his love, Laura.  The Petrarchan sonnet is divided into two stanzas, the octave (the first eight lines) and the sestet (the last six lines).

The Petrarchan Sonnet  The octave presents an argument, observation, or question.  The sestet provides a counterargument, clarification, or a response.  The rhyme scheme is typically abba, abba, cdecde or cdcdcd.

The Shakespearean Sonnet  The Shakespearean sonnet is also known as an English sonnet or an Elizabethan sonnet.  It is divided into three quatrains and one couplet.

Shakespearean Sonnet  Each quatrain presents a different perspective or issue of a specific topic.  The couplet then acts as a conclusion, amplification, refutation, or twist to the previous three quatrains.  The rhyme scheme is abab, cdcd, efef, gg.

Sonnet 18 – William Shakespeare  Read and discuss.  What do you notice?

The Ode  The word “ode” comes from a Greek word that means to sing or chant.  Odes were originally accompanied by music and dance.  Later, they became a way for poets to convey their strongest sentiments.

Odes  Odes are generally used as a formal address to praise an event, a person, or a thing not present.

The Ode  There are three typical types of odes: the Pindaric, Horatian, and Irregular.  Pindaric odes are often composed to celebrate athletic victories.  The Horatian ode is generally more tranquil and contemplative.  It is less formal, less ceremonious, and better suited to quiet reading.  The Irregular ode has employed all manner of formal possibilities, while often retaining the tone and thematic elements of the classical ode.

Ode to a Computer Mouse  Read and discuss.  What did you notice?

Remember  Elegies, sonnets and odes are all examples of lyric poems!