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

3. 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 . . .

4. It’s a cloud, Stupid!

5. 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 . . .

6. both

7. For the Left Brain:
Recognizing certain devices used within a poem will give the left brain something to concentrate on.

8. 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:

9. RHYTHM
--the beat of the poem.
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.

10. 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:

11. 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.

12. ALLITERATION
The repetition of the first 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?

13. 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.

14. 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 . . .

15. 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

16. So, which is the repeated key word or phrase?

17. 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

18. So, which is the repeated key word or phrase?
Fairly obvious, huh?

19. 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.

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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.

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

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. --“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
IRONY
--the difference between how something appears and how it actually is.
“Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.”
--“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

27. --”legend” by Gillian Clarke
Enjambment
—when a sentence continues past the end of a line during a poem.
Voiceless birds in the trees like notes in the books in the piano stool.
--”legend” by Gillian Clarke

28. Consonance When consonants repeat in the middle or end of words.
Examples
Fixed in onyx A pillar of valor
The calm lamb Fish in a mesh net

29. Assonance When vowels repeat in the middle or end of words. Examples
We light fire on the mountain
Johnny went here and there and everywhere.
The engineer held the steering to steer the vehicle.

30. Poetry should be read aloud!
Poetry Outloud National Champion
An Evening of Poetry, Music and the Written Word at the White House, President and First Lady Obama
James Earl Jones reciting from Othello by Shakespeare
Billy Collins, “The Dead” with animation