PoetryPoetry PoetryPoetry Terms and ExamplesTerms and Examples

PART IPART I

Form• The way a poem’s

lines and words are arranged on the page. – Most common

forms are the ballad, epic, ode, sonnet, and free verse.

Lines and Stanzas• Poems are written in lines, which

can vary in length. Lines are grouped together in stanzas; separated by a space.

• The poet chooses the line length to fit the rhythm, feeling, or thought expressed in the poem.

Rhyme• Repetition of sounds at the

end of words• Internal Rhyme: rhyming

words within the same line• End Rhyme: use of rhymes at

end of lines• Rhyme Scheme: pattern of

end rhymes in a poem

Rhythm• The pattern of sound

created by stressed and unstressed syllables in a line

• Stressed syllables are word parts that are read with emphasis, while unstressed syllables are less emphasized

Repetition• Sounds, words, phrases, or lines

that are stated or used more than once in a poem.

• Used to emphasize an idea or convey a certain meaning

• Happy, happy, happy, so happy!

Symbol• A person, place, an

object, or an action that stands for something beyond itself.– Example: Bald Eagle is

a symbol for the United States of America.

Speaker• The speaker is the voice that talks to

the reader in a poem like a narrator in a story

• Not necessarily the poet

Voice• The distinctive style or manner of

expression• Can reveal much about the

author’s or narrator’s personality

Free Verse• Free verse is poetry

without a regular pattern of rhyme, rhythm, or meter.

• Free verse is used for a variety of subjects.

Ballad• A type of narrative poem that tells

a story. • Meant to be sung or recited• Has a setting, a plot, and

characters• Most have regular patterns of

rhythm and rhyme

Epic• A long narrative poem

about the adventures of a hero whose actions reflect the ideals and values of a nation or group

Narrative Poetry• Tells a story or

recounts events• Includes a plot,

characters and setting

• Epics and ballads

Lyric Poetry• Presents the

thoughts and feelings of a single speaker

• Sonnet, elegy, ode, and free verse

Ode• A type of lyric poem that addresses

broad, serious themes such as justice, truth, or beauty

Sonnet• A poem that has a formal

structure, containing fourteen lines and a specific rhyme scheme and meter

• Means “little song” and can be used for a variety of topics

Elegy• A type of lyric poem of mourning

or lamentation for the dead. Usually it expresses sorrow over the death of someone the poet admired, loved or respected; sometimes it simply mourns the passing of all life and beauty.

Dramatic Poetry• May also tell a story but

focuses more on character• Soliloquies and monologues

Couplet Poem

• A two-lined poem that rhymes.

• We Jack o’ Lanterns have a song

That we like to sing all night long.

PoetryPoetry PoetryPoetry Terms and ExamplesTerms and Examples

PART IIPART II

Lines and Stanzas• Poems are written in lines, which

can vary in length. Lines are grouped together in stanzas; separated by a space.

• The poet chooses the line length to fit the rhythm, feeling, or thought expressed in the poem.

Terms to learn

• Figurative Language• Alliteration• Metaphor• Simile• Personification• Imagery• Theme

Figurative Language• Writing that conveys a meaning

beyond the ordinary, literal meaning

• Ex. simile, metaphor, personification

Alliteration• The repetition of

consonant sounds at the beginnings of words

– Example: No one knows your name

Metaphor• A comparison of two

things with a common quality, but it does not use the words like or as.– Example: She is a

clown= she is crazy.

Simile• A comparison of two

things with a common quality expressed using the words like or as– Example: The dog was as

small as a mouse. – Example: The horse was

skinny like a twig.

Personification• When a poet describes

an animal or object as if it were human or had human qualities– Example: The tea cups

in Beauty and the Beast are examples of personification.

Imagery• Words and phrases

that appeal to the five senses

• Poets use imagery to create a picture in the reader’s mind

• Example: The wet green grass gleamed.

Theme• The meaning, moral,

or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work– Example: The theme

of “The Monkey’s Paw” might be that you should be careful what you wish for.

Try to write your own!