1. Introduction to Poetry
“In a poem the words should be as pleasing to the ear as the meaning is to the mind.” -- Marianne Moore

2. What is poetry?
“Poetry is the sound of human speech at those times when it comes closest to the speech of angels and the speech of animals” John Wain
“Poetry; the best words in the best order” Samuel Taylor Coleridge

3. The Human Brain Divided into 2 parts Each half has its own function
Right Brain:
Creativity
Emotions
Left Brain:
Logic
Reality

4. To clarify . . . When you are looking at big puffy clouds . . .
Your right brain tells you, “Hey! That one looks like a bunny.”
While your left brain tells you . . .

5. It’s a cloud, Stupid!

6. So, which half do you use when studying poetry?
Here are a few hints:
Poetry requires creativity
Poetry requires emotion
Poetry requires an artistic quality
Poetry requires logic
Survey says . . .

7. both

8. We’ll start with the sound devices:
For the Left Brain:
Recognizing certain devices used within a poem will give the left brain something to concentrate on.
We’ll start with the sound devices:

9. Content and poetic voice
In simple terms the content of a poem is what it is all about- the ideas, themes, and storyline it contains
When considering the content of a poem it is also important to identify the poetic voice of the poem. In other words decide who the ‘speaker’ of the poem is.
In many cases the poetic voice may well be the poet’s, but it may be that the that the words of the poem are ‘spoken’ through a character that the poet has created or a narrator figure other than the poet.
Identifying the ‘speaker’ also helps to determine a number of other aspects of the poem such as tone, mood, and the overall intention behind the poem.

10. Tone and mood
The effect a poem has on the reader is very closely determined by the tone and mood that it creates.
A poem contains a ‘voice’ and like any voice it can project a certain tone that gives the listener certain messages.
The tone might be angry or reflective; melancholy or joyful; bitter or ironic.
The mood on the other hand, although very closely connected to the tone, is not quite the same thing.
When we refer to the mood of a poem we are really talking about the atmosphere that the poem creates.

11. RHYME The repetition of sounds Example: hat, cat, brat, fat, mat, sat
My Beard
by Shel Silverstein
My beard grows to my toes,
I never wears no clothes,
I wraps my hair
Around my bare,
And down the road I goes.
Here is another example:

12. RHYTHM
The beat
When reading a poem out loud, you may notice a sort of “sing-song” quality to it, just like in nursery rhymes. This is accomplished by the use of rhythm. Rhythm is broken into seven types.
Iambic
Anapestic
Trochaic
Dactylic
Monosyllabic
Spondaic
Accentual
Less
Common
Most
Used

13. These identify patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
That means one syllable is pronounced stronger, and one syllable is softer.
iambic:
unstressed
anapestic:
stressed
trochaic:
dactylic:

14. METER
The length of a line of poetry, based on what type of rhythm is used.
The length of a line of poetry is measured in metrical units called “FEET”. Each foot consists of one unit of rhythm. So, if the line is iambic or trochaic, a foot of poetry has 2 syllables. If the line is anapestic or dactylic, a foot of poetry has 3 syllables.

15. *there is rarely more than 8 feet*
(This is where it’s going to start sounding like geometry class, so you left-brainers are gonna love this!)
Each set of syllables is one foot, and each line is measured by how many feet are in it. The length of the line of poetry is then labeled according to how many feet are in it.
1: Monometer
5: Pentameter
2: Dimeter
6: Hexameter
3: Trimeter
7: Heptameter
4: Tetrameter
8: Octameter
*there is rarely more than 8 feet*

16. Count the syllables in each line to determine the meter.
She Walks in Beauty I.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.
Reading this poem out loud makes the rhythm evident. Which syllables are more pronounced? Which are naturally softer?
˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄
II.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
Count the syllables in each line to determine the meter.
III.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
Examination of this poem reveals that it would be considered iambic tetrameter.

17. ALLITERATION
The repetition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line.
To the lay-person, these are called “tongue-twisters”.
Example: How much dew would a dewdrop drop if a dewdrop did drop dew?

18. Let’s see what this looks like in a poem we are familiar with.
Alliteration
Alliteration
She Walks in Beauty I.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.
Alliteration
These examples use the beginning sounds of words only twice in a line, but by definition, that’s all you need.

19. Examples: growl, hiss, pop, boom, crack, ptthhhbbb.
Onomatopoeia
Words that spell out sounds; words that sound like what they mean.
Examples: growl, hiss, pop, boom, crack, ptthhhbbb.

20. Let’s see what this looks like in a poem we are not so familiar with yet.
Noise Day
by Shel Silverstein
Let’s have one day for girls and boyses
When you can make the grandest noises.
Screech, scream, holler, and yell –
Buzz a buzzer, clang a bell,
Sneeze – hiccup – whistle – shout,
Laugh until your lungs wear out,
Toot a whistle, kick a can,
Bang a spoon against a pan,
Sing, yodel, bellow, hum,
Blow a horn, beat a drum,
Rattle a window, slam a door,
Scrape a rake across the floor
Onomatopoeia
Several other words not highlighted could also be considered as onomatopoeia. Can you find any?

21. Repetition Using the same key word or phrase throughout a poem.
This should be fairly self-explanatory,
but . . .
at risk of sounding like a broken record . . .

22. Time to spend;
time to mend.
Time to hate;
time to wait.
Time is the essence;
time is the key.
Time will tell us
what we will be.
Time is the enemy;
time is the proof.
Time will eventually
show us the truth.
Time is a mystery;
time is a measure.
Time for us is
valued treasure.
Time to cry . . .
Time to die.
Valued Treasue
by Chris R. Carey

23. Time to spend;
time to mend.
Time to hate;
time to wait.
Time is the essence;
time is the key.
Time will tell us
what we will be.
Time is the enemy;
time is the proof.
Time will eventually
show us the truth.
Time is a mystery;
time is a measure.
Time for us is
valued treasure.
Time to cry . . .
Time to die.
Valued Treasue
by Chris R. Carey

24. Refrain
The repetition of one or more phrases or lines at the end of a stanza.
It can also be an entire stanza that is repeated periodically throughout a poem, kind of like a chorus of a song.

25. Remember this Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Remember this

26. Look familiar? That is refrain.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
. . .
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Look familiar?
That is refrain.

27. Simile
A comparison between two usually unrelated things using the word “like” or “as”.
Examples:
Joe is as hungry as a bear.
In the morning, Rae is like an angry lion.

28. Let’s see what this looks like in a poem we have never seen before in our lives
Simile
Ars Poetica
By Archibald MacLeish
A poem should be palpable and mute as a globed fruit,
Silent as the sleeve-worn stone
Of casement ledges where the moss has grown—
A poem should be wordless
As the flight of birds.
Simile
Simile

29. Metaphor An implied comparison between two usually unrelated things.
Examples:
Lenny is a snake.
Ginny is a mouse when it comes to standing up for herself.
The difference between
a simile and a metaphor is
that a simile requires either
“like” or “as” to be included
in the comparison, and a
metaphor requires that
neither be used.

30. The following poem is one big metaphor.
When it comes to using a metaphor device in poetry, a poet can either make the entire poem a metaphor for something, or put little metaphors throughout the poem.
The following poem is one big metaphor.

31. Hyperbole An exaggeration for the sake of emphasis. Examples:
I may sweat to death.
The blood bank needs a river of blood.

32. Personification
Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects, ideas, or animals.
Example:
The sun stretched its lazy
fingers over the valley.

33. Symbol
A word or image that signifies something other than what is literally represented.
Examples:
Dark or black images in poems are often used to symbolize death.
Light or white images are often used to symbolize life.

34. Imagery
Using words to create a picture in the reader’s mind.

35. Allusion A reference to another piece of literature or to history.
Example: “She hath Dian’s wit” (from Romeo and Juliet).
This is an allusion to Roman mythology and the
goddess Diana.
The three most common types of allusion refer to
mythology, the Bible, and Shakespeare’s writings.

36. Form
Form can refer to the way that the poem is actually written down on the page or to the way that the lines are organised, grouped or structured.
In terms of structure, poetry can be divided into two categories; stichic and stanza

37. Stichic
Stichic verse is a continuous run of lines of the same length and the same metre. Most narrative verse is written in such continuous lines.

38. Stichic Poetry
As wreath of snow, on mountain-breast Slides from the rock that gave it rest, Poor Ellen glided from her stay, And at the Monarch’s feet she lay: No word her choking voice commands; She show’d the ring, she clasp’d her hands. O! not a moment could he brook, The generous prince, that suppliant look! Gently he raised her; and, the while, Check’d with a glance the circle’s smile; Graceful but grave, her brow he kiss’d, And bade her terrors be dismiss’d: ‘Yes, fair, the wandering poor Fitz-James The fealty of Scotland claims. T o him thy woes, thy wishes bring; He will redeem his signet ring. (From: Scott, The Lady of the Lake, Canto VI)

39. Stanzas
Secondly, there is a kind of poetry where the lines are arranged into groups which are sometimes called verses but are more correctly referred to as stanzas.

40. Stanza Example
Here is an example of a stanza in poetry. This original poem is purely for illustration. I Love To Write Poems (First Stanza) I love to writeDay and night What would my heart do But cry, sigh and be blue If I could not write (Second Stanza) Writing feels good And I know it should Who could have knew That what I do Is write, write, write - Unknown Author

41. Free Verse Poetry that follows no rules. Just about anything goes.
This does not mean that it uses no devices, it just means that this
type of poetry does not follow traditional conventions such as
punctuation, capitalization, rhyme scheme, rhythm and meter, etc.
Fog
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then, moves on.
No Rhyme
No Rhythm
No Meter
This is
free verse.