1. ELEMENTS OF POETRY NOTES

2. BASIC TERMS
Prose: any written text that is NOT in poetic form; opposite of poetry
Poetry: type of literature used to express one’s feelings/thoughts/ ideas in a rhythmic (musical) format
-uses both figurative language & poetic terms

3. BASIC TERMS Poet- author of a poem
Speaker- narrator or voice of a poem
Ex: Poem- “Mother to Son”
Poet- Langston Hughes
Speaker- mother

4. AUTHOR’S PURPOSE share/express feelings/emotions
The poet has a “purpose” when writing a poem.
share/express feelings/emotions
tell a story- (fictional or non-fictional)
be humorous
convey a message to the reader
describe something

5. BASIC TERMS *sestet= 6 line stanza *octave= 8 line stanza
Stanza- group of lines in a poem
* resembles paragraphs
* gives poems structure/organization
* new stanzas often represent new ideas
Types of Stanzas:
*couplet= 2 line stanza
*tercet= 3 line stanza
*quatrain= 4 line stanza
*quintet= 5 line stanza
*sestet= 6 line stanza
*septet= 7 line stanza
*octave= 8 line stanza

6. PRACTICE “Your World” Your world is as big as you make it.
I know, for I used to abide
In the narrowest nest in a corner,
My wings pressing close to my side.
But I sighted the distant horizon
Where the sky line encircled the sea
And I throbbed with a burning desire
To travel this immensity.
I battered the cordons around me
And cradled my wings on the breeze
Then soared to the uttermost reaches
With rapture, with power, with ease!
- George Douglas Johnson
How many lines in the above poem?
How many stanzas in the above poem?
What type of stanza is in the above poem?

7. 3 Elements in Poetry
Rhythm
Rhyme
Repetition

8. RHYTHM Rhythm- pattern or flow of sound in a poem
*gives poetry a lyrical (musical) feel
Measuring “Counting” Rhythm:
* method= count the syllables for every word in each line
* look for regular/irregular patterns
______________________________________
Ex. What’s the rhythm (syllable count) for the following?
1. Union 9th Grade Center _____
2. Mrs. Stafford’s Freshmen English Class _____
3. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious _____

9. Rhyme Rhyme- similar repeating sounds within a line(s) of poetry
Basic Types of Rhyme:
1. Exact Rhyme- rhyme that occurs when words share the same ending vowel & consonant sound.
a.k.a “Perfect Rhyme”
Ex. Holly/ Jolly Night /Light Brawling/Sprawling
2. Approximate Rhyme- when two words’ sounds are very close to rhyming but are not exact
a.k.a “Close Rhyme”
EX. Mind / Sign Throat/Note Blood/Blade

10. EX: How statue-like I see thee stand
Location Types:
3. End Rhyme- rhyme that is located at the end of a line (can be exact or approximate)
EX: How statue-like I see thee stand
The agate lamp within thy hand
4. Internal Rhyme-rhyming words (can be exact or approximate) that is located inside the line
a.k.a “Middle Rhyme”
EX: The feelings of sorrow bring forth the days of tomorrow
But never should I remember the depths of December where I will go

11. Types of Rhyme Practice-
1. I ate peas and cheese for dinner last night.
CIRCLE= Exact or Approximate & End or Internal
2. The birds have opened their wings______________
And have flown and looked upon all the many things
3. Out from the corner of the restaurant came the waiter _______
He left his post to become our new navigator
4. As she moved forward ______________
Her heart felt every sharp pain of the sword
5. We will be ready as soon as the boat is steady.___________
6. Time is like a violent river ____________
It can attack you with a sudden shiver

12. Measuring Rhyme
“Sonnet 65” by William Shakespeare
Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, __
But sad mortality o'er-sways their power, __
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, __
Whose action is no stronger than a flower? __
O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out __
Against the wreckful siege of battering days, __
When rocks impregnable are not so stout, __
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays? __
O fearful meditation! where, alack, __
Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid? __
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back? __
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid? __
O, none, unless this miracle have might, __
That in black ink my love may still shine bright. __
Rhyme Scheme – a pattern of rhyme formed at the end of lines in a poem
Method =identify a pattern of rhyme & assign a different letter of the alphabet to each new rhyme
Pattern can be regular or irregular
adds a lyrical sound to poems

13. PRACTICE Rhythm Rhyme Scheme
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, ____ ____
Old time is still a-flying : ____ ____
And this same flower that smiles to-day ____ ____
To-morrow will be dying ____ ____
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, ____ ____
The higher he's a-getting, ____ ____
The sooner will his race be run, ____ ____
And nearer he's to setting ____ ____
That age is best which is the first, ____ ____
When youth and blood are warmer ; ____ ____
But being spent, the worse, and worst ____ ____
 Times still succeed the former ____ ____
Then be not coy, but use your time, ____ ____
And while ye may go marry : ____ ____
For having lost but once your prime ____ ____
You may for ever tarry ____ ____
How many lines? How many stanzas?
What type of stanza is the above poem?
What is the rhythm (syllable count) for the above poem?
Is the rhythm pattern regular or irregular?
What is the rhyme scheme for the above poem?
Is the rhyme scheme pattern regular or irregular?

14. REPETITION
Repetition- using the same key word, letter, sound, or groups of words throughout a poem
Alliteration- repetition of CONSONANT (non- vowel) sounds at the beginning of two or more words within a line.
* a.k.a “tongue-twisters”
EX. My friend Mandy will perform many new magic tricks.
EX. She rarely sees any of her sisters from the South.

15. ASSONANCE & CONSONANCE
Assonance- repeated VOWEL sounds within a line - “VOWEL RHYME” EX. Lake Fate Base Fade Examples of ASSONANCE: EX. Slow and low was the gradual moan that came in the snowing. EX. Shall ever medicine be given to thee to help in that sweet sleep. Ex. Do you like the color blue ? Ex. Jacqueline started to panic after she was told to pack for electric school.
Consonance- repetition of CONSONANT (non- vowel) sounds in the middle or end of words within a line
EX. The bus tires danced on the bumpy road to avoid the cactus.
EX. The man in the burgundy cumberbund ended his bland speech with a bow.

16. Types of Repetition- Practice (Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance) Don’t just look for letters, but hear the repeated sounds!
The Baker boys in the band are going to play at the ball. Circle= Alliteration Assonance Consonance We should leave before we see the film and pay more fees. He had an ache on his head from the kickball game after music class.

17. Types of Repetition- Practice (Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance)
The young boy who had just been stung by a bee called Doug to ask him to help lug the equipment before the bug returned. Circle= Alliteration Assonance Consonance Cara wanted Derek to be crowned the campus football captain of Cedarville College. The coach wanted his team to catch the ball before it fell in the ditch, yet it was fetched by the team that outmatched us. Circle= Alliteration Assonance Consonance

18. ANAPHORA
repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of lines
EX.
In every cry of every man, In every infant’s cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban

19. POLYSYNDETON repetition of a conjunction within a line
creates a slower flow/rhythm effect
Conjunctions- BOYSFAN
EX. We all lived and laughed and loved and left.

20. OTHER TERMS: ONOMATOPOEIA
“The Fourth”
by Shel Silverstein Oh
CRASH! my
BASH!
it’s
BANG!
the
ZANG!
Fourth
WHOOSH! Of
BAROOM!
July
WHEW!
Words that imitate the sound/noise it is describing
livens up writing
Words that are not onomatopoeia- ex. scream, yell, shot, bark

21. Pun- How punny is that? A play on words often meant to be humorous.
Often uses homophones (words that sound the same but have different spellings and meaning)
EX:
* I work as a baker because I knead dough.
*A bank manager without anyone around may find himself a-loan.

22. *A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two-tired.
*Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, 'You stay here, I'll go on a-head.'
*A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, 'No change yet.’
*A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
*A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two-tired.
*The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

23. OXYMORON
Two or more words that are placed next to each other that are opposite & contradict
EX.* jumbo shrimp * buried alive
* Hell’s Angels * clearly confused
* act naturally * crash landing
* pretty ugly * living dead
* Dodge ram * civil war
* virtual reality * criminal justice
* almost done * cold sweat
* blind eye * butt head
* awfully good * bright night
* bitter sweet * boneless ribs

24. Oxymorons in Poetry
One bright morning, in the middle of the night, Two dead soldiers got up to fight. Back to back, they faced each other, Drew their swords and shot each other. A deaf policeman heard the noise, And came and shot those two dead boys. If you don't believe this tale is true, just ask the blind man — He saw it too!