2. POETRY IS A LITERARY FORM THAT
COMBINES THE PRECISE MEANING OF
WORDS WITH THEIR EMOTIONAL
ASSOCIATIONS, SOUNDS, AND RHYTHMS.
IN OTHER WORDS, POETRY IS A LITERARY
GENRE IN WHICH EACH AND EVERY WORD
IS IMPORTANT TO THE MEANING OF THE
POEM.
Elements of Poetry
3. COUPLETS – STANZAS OF 2 LINES THAT
RHYME.
QUATRAINS – STANZAS OF 4 LINES
SPEAKER – VOICE THAT TALKS TO THE
READER
Stanzas – the grouping of lines.
4. METAPHORS – COMPARE TWO
APPARENTLY UNLIKE THINGS WITHOUT
USING “LIKE,” “AS,” “THAN,” AND
“RESEMBLES.”
I.E., THE SKY IS A PATCHWORK QUILT.
SIMILES – MAKE COMPARISONS USING
“LIKE” OR “AS.”
I.E., THE SKY IS LIKE A PATCHWORK
QUILT.
Figurative Language – used to express ideas
or feelings in a fresh way.
5. PERSONIFICATION – LANGUAGE THAT
ATTRIBUTES HUMAN QUALITIES TO NON-
HUMAN THINGS
I.E., THE WINDOWS GAZED OUT OVER
THE PRAIRIE.
ONOMATOPOEIA – THE USE OF A WORD
WHOSE SOUND IMITATES ITS MEANING.
I.E., BUZZ, HISS, SIZZLE, THUD
Figurative Language, cont.
6. IMAGES – PICTURES; THEY HELP “SEE”
WHAT IS GOING ON.
SENSORY LANGUAGE – PROVIDES
DETAILS RELATED TO THE SENSES.
I.E., “DOES IT DRY UP/LIKE A RAISIN IN THE
SUN?/ OR FESTER LIKE A SORE-/ AND THEN RUN?/
DOES IS STINK LIKE ROTTEN MEAT?/ OR CRUST AND
SUGAR OVER-/ LIKE A SYRUPY SWEET?”
(HUGHES, L., “DREAMS DEFERRED”)
Imagery – descriptive language
used to create word pictures.
7. RHYTHM – PATTERN CREATED BY STRESSED
AND UNSTRESSED SYLLABLES OF WORDS IN A
SEQUENCE.
METER – A CONTROLLED PATTERN OF RHYTHM.
THINK ABOUT THE SONGS YOU LISTEN TO
EVERYDAY ON THE RADIO.
REPETITION – THE USE OF ANY LANGUAGE
ELEMENT MORE THAN ONCE.
Sound devices – achieves a musical
quality.
8. RHYME – REPETITION OF IDENTICAL OR SIMILAR
SOUNDS IN STRESSED SYLLABLES
I.E., TEA, TREE; CAT, HAT
RHYME SCHEME – PATTERN OF END RHYMES
(ABAB; ABBA; ABCB)
I.E., “HOLD FAST TO DREAMS/ FOR IF DREAMS DIE/
LIFE IS A BROKEN-WINGED BIRD/ THAT CANNOT FLY.”
(HUGHES, “DREAMS”)
FREE VERSE – NO SET METER OR RHYME SCHEME
Sound devices, cont.
9. EXACT RHYME – THE REPETITION OF WORDS THAT END
WITH THE SAME VOWEL AND CONSONANT SOUNDS.
I.E., LOVE AND DOVE
SLANT RHYME – THE REPETITION OF WORDS THAT END
WITH SIMILAR SOUNDS BUT DO NOT RHYME PERFECTLY.
I.E., PROVE AND GLOVE
END RHYME – THE RHYMING OF WORDS AT THE ENDS
OF LINES
INTERNAL RHYME – RHYMING OF WORDS WITHIN A
LINE
Sound devices, cont.
10. ALLITERATION – REPETITION OF THE INITIAL
CONSONANT SOUNDS OF WORDS
I.E., CUTE CUDDLY CATS
ASSONANCE – REPETITION OF VOWEL SOUNDS OF
WORDS
I.E., WILD CHILD OF SILENCE
CONSONANCE – REPETITION OF CONSONANTS
WITHIN NEARBY WORDS IN WHICH THE
SEPARATING VOWELS DIFFER
I.E., DIE ANOTHER DAY, LIVE AND LOVE, BLACK ARE
THE WATERS THAT SPARKLED
Sound devices, cont.
11. NARRATIVE - WRITER TELLS A STORY IN VERSE
TYPES OF NARRATIVE POEMS:
EPIC POETRY – LONG NARRATIVE POEM ABOUT
GODS AND HEROES
I.E., “THE ODYSSEY” OR “BEOWULF”
BALLAD POETRY– SONGLIKE NARRATIVE ABOUT
AN ADVENTURE OR ROMANCE
I.E., THINK OF LOVE SONGS.
Types of Poetry
12. DRAMATIC POETRY – WRITER TELLS A STORY
USING A CHARACTER’S OWN THOUGHTS OR
STATEMENTS
LYRIC POETRY – A BRIEF POEM IN WHICH THE
AUTHOR EXPRESSES THE FEELINGS OF A SINGLE
SPEAKER, CREATING A SINGLE EFFECT ON THE
READER
- NOTABLE FOR THEIR MUSICAL
QUALITIES
- ACHIEVED THROUGH RHYME AND
RHYTHM
Types of Poetry, cont.
13. Types of Poetry, cont.
ODE – A COMPLEX LYRIC POEM THAT DEVELOPS A
SERIOUS AND DIGNIFIED THEME.
APPEAL TO IMAGINATION AND INTELLECT
COMMEMORATE EVENTS OR PRAISE PEOPLE OR
ELEMENTS OF NATURE
14. HAIKU – A POEM CONTAINING THREE
UNRHYMED LINES OF FIVE, SEVEN, AND FIVE
SYLLABLES. THIS JAPANESE POETIC FORM USES
IMAGERY TO CONVEY A SINGLE VIVID EMOTION.
SONNET – FOURTEEN-LINE LYRIC POEM WITH
FORMAL PATTERNS OF RHYME, RHYTHM, AND
LINE STRUCTURE.
SHAKESPEARE IS FAMOUS FOR WRITING
SONNETS. SHAKESPEAREAN SONNETS CONSIST
OF 3 QUATRAINS AND A FINAL COUPLET.
Forms of Poetry
15. FREE VERSE – DOES NOT FOLLOW A REGULAR
PATTERN OF RHYTHM OR RHYME.
THE AUTHOR MAY USE SOUND AND RHYTHMIC
DEVICES, SUCH AS ALLITERATION AND
REPETITION, AND MAY ALSO USE RHYME, BUT
NOT IN A REGULAR PATTERN.
Forms of Poetry, cont.
