1. ELEMENTS OF POETRY NOTES

2. BASIC TERMS Prose: any written text that is not in poetic form
Poetry: art of expressing one’s feelings/thoughts in poetic form

3. BASIC TERMS Poet- author of a poem * not every poem has an author
Speaker- narrator or voice of a poem
* every poem has a speaker
* can be a fictional or non-fictional

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 * octet= 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
* octet= 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 stanzas 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 feel
Measuring Rhythm:
* 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
* 3 types of rhyme
1. Approximate Rhyme- when two words’ sounds are very close to rhyming but not exact
a.k.a “Slant Rhyme”
Ex. The sounds of the wire
Distracted my mind
Ex.
2. End Rhyme- rhymes that occur at the end of a line
EX: How statue-like I see thee stand
The agate lamp within thy hand
3. Internal Rhyme-rhyming words that fall within a single line of poetry-
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

10. Rhyme Scheme Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,
“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.
pattern or arrangement of rhymes sounds within the words of each line
can be regular or irregular in pattern
identified by assigning a different letter to the alphabet to each new rhyme
adds a lyrical sound to poems

11. 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?

12. REPETITION
Repetition- using the same key word, letter, sound, or groups of words throughout a poem
Alliteration- repetition of consonant (non- vowel) letters or sounds in two or more words in a line. The repetition must begin the word.
* 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.
Ex.

13. ASSONANCE & CONSONANCE
Assonance- repeated VOWEL sounds in a line or lines of poetry
EX. Lake Fate Base Fade
(All share the long “a” sound.)
Examples of ASSONANCE:
Ex. Slow the low gradual moan came in the snowing.
Ex. Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep.
Ex.
Consonance- repetition of consonant sounds at the middle or end of words
How are alliteration and consonance similar and different?
Ex. The man in the burgundy cumberbund ended his bland speech with a bow.
Ex. The snake slithered as it lathered soap over itself on the bathroom floor.
Ex.

14. Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance
The Baker boys in the band are going to play at the ball. (alliteration) We should leave before we see the film and pay more fees. (assonance) The two friends laughed although they were scared of the roughness of the storm. (consonance)

15. Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance
Cara wanted Derek to be crowned the campus football captain of Cedarville College.
(alliteration)
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. (assonance)
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. (consonance)

16. ANAPHORA
repetition of a word or group of words at the beginning of lines
It was the best of times,it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”
Ex.

17. POLYSYNDETON repetition of a conjunction throughout a piece
creates a slower flow/rhythm effect
Conjunctions- BOYSFAN
Ex: We all lived and laughed and loved and left.
Ex.

18. OTHER TERMS: ONOMATOPOEIA
“The Fourth”
by Shel Silverstein Oh
CRASH! my
BASH!
it’s
BANG!
the
ZANG!
Fourth
WHOOSH! Of
BAROOM!
July
WHEW!
use of words that sound like the noises they describe
livens up writing

19. 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 meanings
Shakespeare’s writing often contains puns
Ex:
* I work as a baker because I knead dough.
*A bank manager without anyone around may find himself a-loan.
*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.

20. *A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
*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 chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
*A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
Ex.

21. 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

22. 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! Ex.