The document provides instructions for writing a stanza poem. It explains that a stanza is similar to a paragraph and sets the rules for a particular poetry form, such as the number of lines and rhyme/meter structure. It discusses common meter patterns including iambic, trochaic, and anapestic feet. The instructions recommend choosing a theme, deciding on a style/form, collecting random thoughts, filtering words, and writing a 4 stanza poem in response to a provided photo for inspiration.

1. How to Write a Stanza Poem
Schwartz 2011-12

2. Writing a Stanza Poem
• Before starting on with your stanza poem,
it would not be a bad idea to get an
understanding of what is a stanza and
what it makes it an essential element
in poem writing.

3. • A stanza is similar to a paragraph in an
essay so selecting a stanza type for your
poem means that you are limiting yourself
to a particular set of rules of poetry writing;
number of lines,
rhyming structure and meter.

4. Meter in Poetry
• Is the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed
syllables that make up a line of poetry.
• Meter gives rhythm and regularity to
poetry.However, the English language does not
always fit exactly into metrical patterns so many
poems employing meter will exhibit irregularities.
• In English verse the most common meters are:
iambic, dactylic, trochaic and anapestic

5. Iambic Meter
• An end stressed two syllable foot e.g. from In
Memoriam by Lord Tennyson
I DREAMED | there WOULD| be SPRING | no
MORE
• This example is an iambic tetrameter - it has four
iambic feet and therefore the total number of
syllables in the line is eight. Iambic is an
example of rising meter.

6. Trochaic meter
• A front stressed two syllable foot.
• e.g. The Song of Hiawatha by Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow
BY the | SHORES of | GIT chee | GUMee
• This example is trochaic tetrameter - i.e.
four two syllable feet. Therefore the total
line has eight syllables. Trochaic meter is
less commonly used than iambic meter.
Trochaic is an example of falling meter.

7. Anapestic meter
• An end stressed three syllable foot
e.g. The Destruction of the
Sennacherib by Byron:
And the SHEEN | of their SPEARS | was
like STARS | on the SEA
• This line is an anapestic tetrameter i.e. it
has four feet containing three syllables
each. Therefore the total number of
syllables in the line is twelve.

8. Select a Theme
• Poem writing is basically “a word dance” where
you need to choreograph words, phrases and
sentences and set them to a particular style of
rhyming structure.
• Before beginning with your word dance, you
need to set up a theme to follow.
• A theme is akin to a central idea around which a
poem is built. It could be an object (tree, cloud,
room etc.) or a concept (a love poem or dark
poetry etc.)

9. Decide Your Style and Form
• Knowledge about a haiku or a sonnet is not
mandatory for drafting a good poem. A person,
totally clueless about different forms of
poetry might be able to pen down a master piece
if he or she knows how to manage the flow of
words, acquired from inspiration.
• Select the rhyming structure that suits you best.
• Try to format a few sentence on the basis of
your rhyming structure.
• Lock it in.

10. Collect and Pen Down Your
Random Thoughts
• Note down the abstract verses, words and
small bits as they come.
• Jot down and play around by adjusting
and readjusting your letters.
• Let loose of your imagination and you will
form new ideas as you work with your
sentences.

11. Filter, Select and Modify Words
• Find synonyms and related words by
making use of dictionary, thesaurus and a
synonyms dictionary for your existing
words.
• Insert them in your verses or make
readjustments for them to fit in.
• Rephrase your verses so they form a
better pattern.

12. Your Assignment
• Make as many notes as possible using the
displayed photo as inspiration
• Write a four stanza poem which refelcts
the photo, its theme and your own
imagination
• Your poem DOES NOT have to rhyme
• When finished writing your poem, either
type it out or write it on a clean piece of
paper or stationary, in pen.