Poetry Terms Poetry Terms to Know and to Know and

LoveLove(And understand

on a test)

What is What is poetry?poetry? There is no one correct definition of poetry. The There is no one correct definition of poetry. The

definition is something different to each person.definition is something different to each person.

Usually, though, when we look at poetry, we Usually, though, when we look at poetry, we examine:examine:

1.1. FORMFORM

2.2. SOUNDSOUND

3.3. RHYTHMRHYTHM

4.4. IMAGERYIMAGERY

5.5. TONETONE

6.6. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGEFIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Form Form Form refers to the line length, breaks between Form refers to the line length, breaks between

words, and grouping of ideas.words, and grouping of ideas.

Sound Sound Sound refers to the rhymes, rhythms, and Sound refers to the rhymes, rhythms, and

repeated sounds in the poem.repeated sounds in the poem.

RhythmRhythmRhythm refers to the pattern of accented and Rhythm refers to the pattern of accented and

unaccented syllables in a lineunaccented syllables in a line

Imagery Imagery Imagery refers to sensory descriptions that make Imagery refers to sensory descriptions that make an object or experience seem so real that you can an object or experience seem so real that you can

easily imagine iteasily imagine it

ToneToneTone refers to the attitudes or feelings that the Tone refers to the attitudes or feelings that the

poem shows toward the subject [what the poem is poem shows toward the subject [what the poem is talking about] and to the audience [the reader of talking about] and to the audience [the reader of

the poem]the poem]Figurative Figurative LanguageLanguageFigurative Language refers to imagery and to Figurative Language refers to imagery and to

descriptions which go beyond the ordinary descriptions which go beyond the ordinary meaning of words or phrasesmeaning of words or phrases

Form -- Form -- TheStanzaTheStanzaA A stanzastanza is a division of lines within a poem. A stanza is a division of lines within a poem. A stanza

is to a poem as a paragraph is to an essay.is to a poem as a paragraph is to an essay.

•A A couplet couplet is the oddball stanza. It can be simply a separate is the oddball stanza. It can be simply a separate two-line stanza, or it may also be two rhyming lines, not two-line stanza, or it may also be two rhyming lines, not necessarily separate from the rest.necessarily separate from the rest.

The rest are easy!The rest are easy!

•A A tercettercet (also known as a (also known as a triplettriplet) is a three-line stanza.) is a three-line stanza.

•A A quatrainquatrain is a four-line stanza. is a four-line stanza.

•A A cinquaincinquain is a five-line stanza. is a five-line stanza.

Sound --Sound --AlliterationAlliterationThis is dependent upon how the words sound, not This is dependent upon how the words sound, not

how they are spelled.how they are spelled.

Look at the following example and see if you can Look at the following example and see if you can guess the definition of this term:guess the definition of this term:

Great green gobs of greasy, grimy, gopher guts…Great green gobs of greasy, grimy, gopher guts…

Here’s another:Here’s another:

Katy carefully crossed the chasm.Katy carefully crossed the chasm.

AlliterationAlliteration is the repetition of initial is the repetition of initial (beginning) consonant sounds.(beginning) consonant sounds.

Sound -- Sound -- AssonanceAssonanceLook at the following example and see if you can Look at the following example and see if you can guess the definition of this term:guess the definition of this term:

It was too lIt was too laate—the grte—the greaeat wave of the lt wave of the laake had ke had sealed the msealed the maiaiden’s fden’s faate.te.

Here’s another:Here’s another:

HHaannibal the Cnnibal the Caannibal smnnibal smaashed his mshed his maandible ndible when he bit a tin cwhen he bit a tin caan.n.

AssonanceAssonance is the repetition of NON-initial is the repetition of NON-initial vowel sounds. If the sounds are all at the vowel sounds. If the sounds are all at the

beginning, then it is called Alliterationbeginning, then it is called Alliteration

Sound --Sound --OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeiaLook at the following examples of onomatopoeia and Look at the following examples of onomatopoeia and

see if you can guess the definition of this term:see if you can guess the definition of this term:

buzzbuzz

plop plop

meow meow

crack crack

barfbarf

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia is the use of words that is the use of words that soundsound like what they like what they meanmean..

Sound --Sound --RepetitionRepetitionThis is just what it says: the repetition of a sound, a

word, a phrase, or a line two or more times. Alliteration and Assonance are also forms of Repetition.

For example, at the end of Twelfth Night, Feste sings this song:

When that I was a little tiny boy,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

A foolish thing was but a toy,

For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's estate,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate,

For the rain it raineth every day.

Sound -- RhymeSound -- RhymeRhyme usually comes from consonant and assonant Rhyme usually comes from consonant and assonant [vowel] sounds within a poem. There are different [vowel] sounds within a poem. There are different kinds of rhyme, but they are pretty easy to tell apart.kinds of rhyme, but they are pretty easy to tell apart.

Perfect rhymePerfect rhyme means the sounds at the ends of the means the sounds at the ends of the words are identical. For example:words are identical. For example:

chance/dancechance/dance seed/weed seed/weed knew/due knew/due

A A closeclose or or slant rhymeslant rhyme means that the sounds are means that the sounds are almost alike, but are not identical. The reader knows almost alike, but are not identical. The reader knows they are intended to rhyme from where they fall in they are intended to rhyme from where they fall in the poem.the poem.

boot/putboot/put role/pull role/pull shoe/fool shoe/fool

Rhyme (continued)Rhyme (continued)Sight rhymeSight rhyme means the words have the same means the words have the same appearance at the end. For example:appearance at the end. For example:

foot/root Stacy/lacy mop/sodapopfoot/root Stacy/lacy mop/sodapop

Note that a sight rhyme can be either Note that a sight rhyme can be either perfectperfect or or slantslant in the way it sounds.in the way it sounds.

Rhyme SchemeRhyme SchemeA A rhymerhyme scheme scheme is the pattern into which the rhyme is the pattern into which the rhyme within a poem falls. A poem can have rhyme without within a poem falls. A poem can have rhyme without having a rhyme scheme.having a rhyme scheme. Rhyme schemes Rhyme schemes are are determined by assigning each ending sound a letter, determined by assigning each ending sound a letter, beginning with beginning with AA..

It was many and many a year ago, It was many and many a year ago, AA

In a kingdom by the sea, In a kingdom by the sea, BB

That a maiden there lived whom you may knowThat a maiden there lived whom you may knowAA

By the name of Annabel Lee By the name of Annabel Lee BB

Rhyme SchemeRhyme SchemeA A rhymerhyme schemescheme is the pattern into which the rhyme is the pattern into which the rhyme within a poem falls. A poem can have rhyme without within a poem falls. A poem can have rhyme without having a rhyme scheme.having a rhyme scheme. Rhyme schemes Rhyme schemes are are determined by assigning each ending sound a letter, determined by assigning each ending sound a letter, beginning with beginning with AA..

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.

AABA

BB

B

C

There'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.

Rhyme SchemeRhyme SchemeA A Rhyme schemes Rhyme schemes are determined by assigning each are determined by assigning each ending sound a letter, beginning with ending sound a letter, beginning with AA..

AA

C

CD

BA

EF

A

F

Rhythm – Free Rhythm – Free VerseVerseFree verse is poetry that does not have a regular rhyme,

rhythm, or line length. The rhythm resembles.

Sometimes, the only way to tell the difference between free verse and “regular writing” [called prose] is that the lines are uneven in length and break off in strange places.

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

ImageryImageryThe author or poet will use words to paint a picture The author or poet will use words to paint a picture

(create an (create an imageimage) in the reader’s mind.) in the reader’s mind.

““Maycomb…was a tired old town. …In Maycomb…was a tired old town. …In rainy weather, the streets turned to red rainy weather, the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the

courthouse sagged in the square. …Ladies courthouse sagged in the square. …Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-bathed before noon, after their three-

o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet

talcum.”talcum.”

ToneToneA poem's tone is the attitude that its style implies. Tone can shift through a poem: 'A Barred Owl', by Richard Wilbur, has a first stanza with a comforting, domestic tone, and a second stanza that shows this kind of comfort is false. The shift in tone is part of what is enjoyable about the poem.

The warping night-air having brought the boomOf an owl's voice into her darkened room,We tell the wakened child that all she heardWas an odd question from a forest bird,Asking of us, if rightly listened to,"Who cooks for you” and then "Who cooks for you?"

Words, which can make our terrors bravely clear,Can also thus domesticate a fear,And send a small child back to sleep at nightNot listening for the sound of stealthy flightOr dreaming of some small thing in a clawBorne up to some dark branch and eaten raw.

Figurative Figurative LanguageLanguageFigurative Language includes many of the literary Figurative Language includes many of the literary

terms we have studied before:terms we have studied before:

•SimileSimile

•MetaphorMetaphor

•Personification Personification

•HyperboleHyperbole

•OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia

SimileSimileLook at the following example and see if you can Look at the following example and see if you can guess the definition of this term:guess the definition of this term:

Like a Lear jet, the football streaked out of his hand Like a Lear jet, the football streaked out of his hand across the field.across the field.

Here’s another:Here’s another:

She was smart as a whip.She was smart as a whip.

AA simile simile is a comparison of two dissimilar is a comparison of two dissimilar things, USING the words things, USING the words likelike or or asas..

MetaphorMetaphorLook at the following example and see if you can Look at the following example and see if you can guess the definition of this term:guess the definition of this term:

The clouds were a grey veil across the sky.The clouds were a grey veil across the sky.

Here’s another:Here’s another:

Although the dwarves thought her dead, the roses in Although the dwarves thought her dead, the roses in Snow White’s cheeks had not faded.Snow White’s cheeks had not faded.

AA metaphor metaphor is a comparison of two dissimilar is a comparison of two dissimilar things, NOT using the words things, NOT using the words likelike or or asas..

PersonificationPersonificationLook at the following example and see if you can Look at the following example and see if you can guess the definition of this term:guess the definition of this term:

The last piece of pizza lay, sad and lonely, on the The last piece of pizza lay, sad and lonely, on the table.table.

Here’s another:Here’s another:

The leaves skipped and danced in the autumn breeze.The leaves skipped and danced in the autumn breeze.

PersonificationPersonification is when the writer gives human is when the writer gives human qualities to something that is not human.qualities to something that is not human.