Introduction to Poetry

ObjectiveStudents will be able to identify/describe the structure of poems (stanza, meter, rhyme scheme, couplet)Students will be able to identify/describe the following poetic devices:

Allusion Alliteration Onomatopoeia Rhetorical questions Repetition

What is poetry?

Poetry is a literary art (writing) where language is used to evoke (call to mind) specific experiences and emotions through meaning, sound, and rhythm.

Poetic Structure

Stanza (Verse)Generally, a poem consists of one or more stanzas A stanza consists of a grouping of lines, that usually follows a set pattern of meter and rhyme.

Meter

The basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in a verse Meter is the rhythm of the poem

Bear In There by Shel SilversteinThere's a Polar BearIn our Frigidaire--He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.With his seat in the meatAnd his face in the fishAnd his big hairy pawsIn the buttery dish,He's nibbling the noodles,He's munching the rice,He's slurping the soda,He's licking the ice.And he lets out a roarIf you open the door.And it gives me a scareTo know he's in there--That Polary BearIn our Fridgitydaire.

Rhyme SchemeA rhyme scheme is the pattern of

rhyming lines in a poem. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme. For example ABAB indicates a four-line stanza in which the first and third lines rhyme, as do the second and fourth.

Bid me to weep, and I will weep (A)While I have eyes to see; (B)And having none, yet I will keep (A)A heart to weep for thee (B)

My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold

MY heart leaps up when I behold   

A rainbow in the sky: 

So was it when my life began,   

So is it now I am a man, 

So be it when I shall grow old          5    

Or let me die! 

The child is father of the man: 

And I could wish my days to be 

Bound each to each by natural piety.

--William Wordsworth

1. Rhyme Scheme 2. Alliteration (first 3 lines) 3. Personification

A

B

C

C

A

B

C

D

D

___

__ ___ ____

_______________

__ ____

Couplet

a pair of successive (one after another) lines of verse, especially a pair that rhyme and are the same length (# of syllables)Example: From what I’ve tasted of desire/I hold with those who favor fire Each line has nine (9) syllables

Couplet

Poetic Devices

Poetic Devices

You should already be able to identify and use

Similes Metaphors PersonificationSymbolism

ImageryImagery consists of the pictures a poet creates or suggests to the readerThese images allow the reader to participate in the poemPoetic imagery appeals to the five senses:

Sight: Visual imageTouch: Tactile image Taste : Gustatory imageSmell: Olfactory image Hear: Auditory/aural image

Alliteration

The repetition of the initial consonant sounds

Example: Terrible truths Lullaby Lies

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sound

Example: mystery disguised within Purple curtain

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it represents.

Examples: Buzz, Burrrrr, cough, ouch, crack

Repetition

Surprisingly enough, repetition means certain words or lines are repeated When a poet does this, they are trying to draw attention to that line or idea

Rhetorical Question

A question that is not meant to be answered by someone elseThe author or speaker will usually answer it“If you prick us do we not bleed, if you tickle us do we not laugh?”

Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream

What words would you use to describe this song?

Write down three words that you would associate with it

I was riding on the MayflowerWhen I thought I spied some landI yelled for Captain ArabI have yuh understandWho came running to the deckSaid, boys, forget the whaleLook on over yonderCut the enginesChange the sailHaul on the bowlineWe sang that melodyLike all tough sailors doWhen they are far away at sea

I think I’ll call it AmericaI said as we hit landI took a deep breathI fell down, I could not standCaptain Arab he startedWriting up some deedsHe said, Let’s set up a fortAnd start buying the place with beadsJust then this cop comes down the streetCrazy as a loonHe throw us all in jailFor carryin’ harpoons

Ah me I busted outDon’t even ask me howI went to get some helpI walked by a Guernsey cowWho directed me downTo the Bowery slumsWhere people carried signs aroundSaying, ban the bumsI jumped right into lineSayin’, I hope that I’m not lateWhen I realized I hadn’t eatenFor five days straight

I went into a restaurantLookin’ for the cookI told them I was the editorOf a famous etiquette bookThe waitress he was handsomeHe wore a powder blue capeI ordered some suzette, I saidCould you please make that crepeJust then the whole kitchen explodedFrom boilin’ fatFood was flying everywhereAnd I left without my hat

Now, I didn’t mean to be nosyBut I went into a bankTo get some bail for ArabAnd all the boys back in the tankThey asked me for some collateralAnd I pulled down my pantsThey threw me in the alleyWhen up comes this girl from FranceWho invited me to her houseI went, but she had a friendWho knocked me outAnd robbed my bootsAnd I was on the street again

Well, I rapped upon a houseWith the U.S. flag upon displayI said, could you help me outI got some friends down the wayThe man says, get out of hereI’ll tear you limb from limbI said, you know they refused Jesus, tooHe said, you’re not HimGet out of here before I break your bonesI ain’t your popI decided to have him arrestedAnd I went looking for a cop

I ran right outsideAnd I hopped inside a cabI went out the other doorThis Englishman said, FabAs he saw me leap a hot dog standAnd a chariot that stoodParked across from a buildingAdvertising brotherhoodI ran right through the front doorLike a hobo sailor doesBut it was just a funeral parlorAnd the man asked me who I was

I repeated that my friendsWere all in jail, with a sighHe gave me his cardHe said, call me if they dieI shook his hand and said goodbyeRan out to the streetWhen a bowling ball came down the roadAnd knocked me off my feetA pay phone was ringingIt just about blew my mindWhen I picked it up and said helloThis foot came through the line

Well, by this time I was fed upAt tryin’ to make a stabAt bringin’ back any helpFor my friends and Captain ArabI decided to flip a coinLike either heads or tailsWould let me know if I should goBack to ship or back to jailSo I hocked my sailor suitAnd I got a coin to flipIt came up tailsIt rhymed with sailsSo I made it back to the ship

Well, I got back and tookThe parkin’ ticket off the mastI was ripping it to shredsWhen this coastguard boat went pastThey asked me my nameAnd I said, Captain KiddThey believed me butThey wanted to knowWhat exactly that I didI said for the Pope of ErukeI was employedThey let me go right awayThey were very paranoid

Well, the last I heard of ArabHe was stuck on a whaleThat was married to the deputySheriff of the jailBut the funniest thing wasWhen I was leavin’ the bayI saw three ships a-sailin’They were all heading my wayI asked the captain what his name wasAnd how come he didn’t drive a truckHe said his name was ColumbusI just said, Good luck

ObjectiveStudents will be able to determine and articulate the relationship between the purposes and characteristics of different forms of poetry Today we will focus on narrative poetry. Ballads and epic poems are two types of narrative poetry

What is narrative poetry?Narrative poetry tells a storySo it has all the following features:

Plot

Setting

Characters

Central conflict

Climax

Falling action

Resolution

Types of Narrative Poetry

Two of the most popular forms of narrative poetry are:

BalladsEpics

Ballads

Ballads originated as folk songs in Europe Most are set to musicTell the dramatic story of one or more characters Usually consist of four line stanzaswhere alternating lines rhyme or the second and fourth lines rhyme

Well, the last I heard of Arab AHe was stuck on a whale BThat was married to the deputy C Sheriff of the jail B

But the funniest thing was DWhen I was leavin’ the bay EI saw three ships a-sailin’ FThey were all heading my way E

I asked the captain what his name was DAnd how come he didn’t drive a truck GHe said his name was Columbus HI just said, Good luck G

Epic Poem

Epic poems originated as one of the earliest forms of extended storytelling Were not written down but told orally Characterized by heavy repetition (to help storyteller remember) Examples: Odyssey, Iliad, Gilgamesh, Mahabharata

Epic poems originated as one of the earliest forms of extended storytelling Were not written down but told orally Characterized by heavy repetition (to help storyteller remember) Examples: Odyssey, Iliad, Gilgamesh, Mahabharata

Epic Poems

Epic poems cover large swaths of time and detail a heroic journey In fact, they provide the structure for many myths and adventure This includes: Star Wars, Lighting Thief, Harry Potter, LOTR

Hero’s Journey The features of a hero’s journey include: The Call: The hero is charged with a quest.The Test: The hero must prove the worthiness of himself and his quest.The Characters: Mythical beings, magical and helpful animals and human helpers The Location: Supernatural world, inaccessible to normal human beingsThe Challenge: The hero nearly gives up or appears defeated.Restitution: The hero regains his rightful place.

Your Turn

You will receive a handout that asks you to analyze a ballad, “Casey at the Bat” and the hero’s journey in popular culture

Fog by Carl Sandburg

The fog comes on little cat feet.It sits lookingover harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on

ObjectiveStudents will be able to determine and articulate the relationship between the purposes and characteristics of different forms of poetry Today we will focus on lyric poetry. Odes and elegies are two types of lyric poems

What is lyric poetry

Lyric poetry communicates an idea or an emotion about a subject It does not follow a linear narrative Can be recited (spoken) or sung (accompanied by music)

Lyric PoetryThe subject and/or the message of a lyric poem may not always be clear Many times it is abstract More difficult to understand than (most) narrative poems. Heavy use of symbolism

By Emily Dickinson

The Sky is low- the Clouds are mean.A Travelling Flake of SnowAcross a Barn or through a RutDebates if it will go-

A Narrow Wind complains all DayHow some one treated himNature, like Us, is sometimes caughtWithout her Diadem.

Ode

An ode is a kind of lyric poem Odes express deep appreciation and/or feeling about the subject Can be serious or funny Odes have to celebrate a person, place, thing, or idea

Ode to the Garbage man by Lemon Squeezy My garbage man, he is the best,I favor him above the rest.What would we all do without him,I do believe his name is Tim.

Tim is such a great,grand fellow,He takes all our junk, and rotten

jello.He clears the land of all the trash,And doesn't stop for new year's

bash.

He doesn't break on Christmas day,Nope,with his garbage truck he'll

stay.Through the thick and through the

thin,Tim will carry out our bins.

So when you see the garbage man,

Weather He be Tim or Stan,When you give him your

garbage can,You go out shake his hand.

He deserves Our full attention,

Not to mention a good size pension.

Well garbage men I thank you,

For serving me and America too.

Elegy

An elegy is poem that mourns the death of someone Naturally, many are melancholy (sad) but end in consolation (a source of comfort)

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d by Walt WhitmanWhen lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d,And the great star early droop’d in the western sky in

the night,I mourn’d, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning

spring.

Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring,Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,And thought of him I love.

O powerful western fallen star!O shades of night—O moody, tearful night!O great star disappear’d—O the black murk that hides

the star!O cruel hands that hold me powerless—O helpless soul

of me!

O harsh surrounding cloud that will not free my soul.

Epitaph

An epitaph is a very short elegy meant for someone’s tombstone

ObjectiveStudents will be able to determine and articulate the relationship between the purposes and characteristics of different forms of poetry Today we will focus on free verse, occasional poems, and poetry as protest Students will also be able to systematically analyze poetry

What is free verse poetry?

Free verse poetry does not follow any set meter or rhyme schemeWhitman is called the “father of free verse”Free verse can flow much like regular speech or stream of consciousness

Free verseFree verse is not bound by the number of lines a stanza must have or the count of stressed syllables Robert Frost said it was like, “playing tennis without a net”

e.e. cummingsBuffalo Bill'sdefunct who used to ride a watersmooth-silver stallionand break onetwothreefourfivepigeonsjustlikethat

Jesus

he was a handsome man and what i want to know is

how do you like your blueeyed boyMister Death

Occasional Poems

Occasional poems are written to commemorate, comment on, or describe a specific event (funeral, birthday, victory, inauguration, etc.)Usually read publicly These lyric poems include odes & elegies and can have a set meter/rhyme scheme or be in free verse

Obama’s Second Inauguration

Composed/read by the poet laureate Richard Blanco

Poem

What do you think the main idea, or theme, of his poem is? What imagery/symbolism/devices does he use to communicate the theme?

Poetry as protest

Poetry can also be used to challenge the status quo (the way things are) It undermines established values and idealsAfrican-American poets such as Langston Hughes and Claude Mckay challenged the racism they and others faced during the 1920s

I, Too by Langston HughesI, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.They send me to eat in the kitchenWhen company comes,But I laugh,And eat well,And grow strong.

Tomorrow,I'll be at the tableWhen company comes.Nobody'll dareSay to me,"Eat in the kitchen,"Then.

Besides,

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Analyzing PoetryPlease refer to your handout as a step by step guide to analyzing poetry.Please keep this in your binders are a reference tool. We will be analyzing the poem, “Sympathy” (pg. 42) as a class before you do more on your own.

Analyzing Poetry

In pairs you will now be working together in order to analyze two poems Dream Deferred (Harlem) pg.75The New Colossus pg. 33

Poetry PosterUsing a poem of your choosing:Write the entire poem on your poster (Choose one that will fit!)And Identify the:

Poet and TitleType of PoemTheme: One sentence description of what the poet is trying to communicate to us.Paraphrase each stanza (complete sentences!)

Provide at least 2 examples for each poetic device used in the poem (refer to your study guide).Decorate your poster with the symbols and images found in the poem.

Poem Choices from your Book

The Arrow and the Song (p.6)‘hope is the thing with feathers’ (p.30)‘if I can stop one heart from breaking’ (p.31)Euclid (p. 56)The Leaden-Eyed (p. 56)Gubbinal (p.57)The Great Figure (p. 60)The Red Wheelbarrow (p.60)

This is Just to Say (p.61)Peace (p.62)The Tropics of New York (p. 71)If We Must Die (p. 70)Still here (p. 78)For Paul Lawrence Dunbar (p. 78)We Wear the Mask (p. 43)