Elements of Poetry Poets have many tools they

Elements of Poetry Poets have many tools they use to add to the poem’s sound, meaning, and emotional effect on the reader.

• Poetry is the art of expressing one’s thoughts in verse. • It uses few words to convey its message. • It is meant to be read aloud. • Poetry arouses our emotions. • Poems use imagery or figures of speech to explain feelings or to create a mental picture or idea. • These suggest action or mood. • Many poems have a specific rhyme scheme. • Poems can rhyme or not rhyme.

Lines ∞ A single line in a poem. ∞ Often organized into stanzas. ∞ 2 lines is a couplet. ∞ 3 lines is a triplet or tercet. ∞ 4 lines is a quatrain. ∞ 5 lines is a quinrain or a cinquain. ∞ 6 lines is a sestet. ∞ 8 lines is a octet. “To a Snowflake” 1 Hello little snowflake! 2 Where all your friends? 3 Should I expect a lot of them 4 before the morning ends? 5 6 7 8 I love it when you come to me and you all fall down together, and I get dressed to visit you, toasty warm in cold, cold weather. The poem above has 8 lines. The lines are organized into quatrains.

Stanza v A group of lines. v Often have 4, 5, or 6 lines. v 2 line stanzas are called couplets. v Usually develops one idea. v Give poems structure. v Emphasize different ideas. v Beginning a new stanzas often signals the beginning of a new image, thought, or idea. “First and Last” by David Mc. Cord A tadpole hasn’t a pole at all, And he doesn’t live in a hole in the wall. You’ve got it wrong: a polecat’s not A cat on a pole. And I’ll tell you what: A bullfrog’s never a bull; and how Could a cowbird possibly be a cow? A kingbird, though, is a kind of king, And he chases a crow like anything. Four Stanzas in Couplets Each Stanza Signals a New Image

Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme • Words rhyme when • • • they have the same sound. Poems often use rhyme at the end of lines. Rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhymes in a poem. Poets use rhyme to add a musical sound to their poems. “Ten Minutes Till the Bus” by David L. Harrison Ten whole minutes Till the bus, Scads of time, What’s the fuss? Two to dress, One to flush, Two to eat, One to brush, That leaves four To catch the bus, Scads of time, What’s the fuss? A A B B A A

Rhythm • Pattern of beats or a • • series of stressed and unstressed syllables in poem. Poets create rhythm by using words in which parts are emphasized or not emphasized. The yellow highlighted parts of the poem show what’s stressed. from “Windy Nights” By Robert Louis Stevenson Whenever the moon and stars are set, Whenever the wind is high, All night long in the dark and wet, A man goes riding by. Late in the night when the fires are out, Why does he gallop and gallop about? Whenever the wind is high Stressed = Unstressed =

Free Verse • Poetry written • • without a regular rhyme, rhythm, and form. Sounds natural, just like everyday conversation. Poets use free verse because it allows them to experiment with the shapes and sounds in their poetry. No rhyme or regular rhythm “Blossoms” by Walter Dean Myers I never dreamt that tender blossoms would be brown Or precious angels could come down to live in the garden of my giving heart But here you are brown angel

Alliteration • Repetition of the • same consonant sound at the beginning of several words or sentences or a line of poetry. Poets use alliteration to make their poetry musical and more interesting. Same Beginning Sounds “Surf” by Lillian Morrison Waves want to be wheels, They jump for it and fail fall flat like pole vaulters and sprawl arms outstretched foam fingers reaching.

Imagery • Language that • • “There is a Thing” by Jack Prelutsky There is a thing appeals to the 5 beneath the stair Strong Image senses. Sensory Words with slimy face Are “word pictures”. Helps the reader to and oily hair experience familiar that does not move Uses things in a fresh or speak or sing way using the Senses senses. or do another Sound single thing Smell Taste but sit and wait Touch beneath the stair Sight with slimy face and oily hair.

Exaggeration • Describe something • as larger or wildly different than it actually is. Poets use exaggeration to create a mental picture and spark a reader’s imagination. “Beetles” by Monica Shannon Beetles must use polish, They look so new and shiny! Just like a freshly painted car, Except for being tiny. Poet stretches the truth about how beetles become shiny to make readers smile and to create greater interest in these insects.

“The World” by Noel Berry The trees are like the hair of the world. The city is like the heart of the world. o Comparison between 2 things, The wind is a flute player using the words likeplaying in the night. or as. The cars beeping horns are like buttons o Poets use beeping inside the earth. comparisons between things to Each bird is like a single piccolo make you think about them in a newsinging away way. and the grass, just like me, o Used to surprise the reader and to createbeing buried under the snow. Simile strong images. Comparisons trees to hair car horns beeping to buttons grass to a person a city to a heart bird to a piccolo

Metaphor C Direct comparison C C C between 2 things. Does NOT use the words like or as. Poet describes a thing or person as if it actually were the other thing or person. Creates a clear, memorable picture and tries to get you to see the original subject in a new way. “Dreams” by Langston Hughes Comparison of Hold fast to dreams life to a bird For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams Comparison of For when dreams golife to a field Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Onomatopoeia Use of words that sound like the noises they describe. Poets choose words not just for what they mean, but what they sound like. Poets use onomatopoeia to liven up their writing and add fun sounds to it. “The Fourth” by Shel Silverstein Oh CRASH! my BASH! it’s BANG! the ZANG! Fourth WHOOSH! Of BAROOM! July WHEW! On the Fourth of July you hear: Crashes Bangs Zangs Whooshs Barooms Whews

Personification • Type of figure of • speech that gives human qualities to animals, objects, or ideas. Adds life to a poem and helps the reader view a familiar thing in a new way. “Snowy Benches” by Aileen Fisher Do parks get lonely in winter, perhaps, when benches have only snow on their laps? Parks have feelings and benches have laps. The poet asks whether the parks feel lonely in winter, like people sometimes do.

Idiom “Last Night” by David L. Harrison • An everyday saying Last night I knew the that doesn’t exactly mean what the answers. words say. Last night I had them pat. • Poet’s use idioms because that’s the Last night I could have told way people talk to you each other. • Example: “easy as Every answer, just like that! pie” means you are Last night my brain was able to do something without cooking. difficulty Last night I got them right. “I had them pat” - knowing something well. Lastworking night Ifast was a genius. “My brain is cooking” - it was and bubbling over with ideas. So where were you last

Symbol • Something that • • stands for something more than just itself. Suggests another larger meaning. Example: the American flag is a symbol of freedom. “The Farmer” By Carole Boston Weatherford The farmer is a symbol of the proud African A plot of weeds, culture and the An old grey mule. South. “African Hot sun and sweat Iron” and “red Georgia clay” On a bright Southern day. describe the Strong, stern papa farmer, but link him to his Under a straw hat, African Plowing and planting ancestors in Africa and His whole life away. his fellow His backbone is forged southerners. Of African Iron

Mood • Feeling that a poem • • creates in the reader. Can be positive or negative. Poet creates the mood with the length of sentences, the words chosen, punctuation, and the sounds of the words. “Poor” by Myra Livingston I heard of poor. It means hungry, no food. No shoes, no place to live, Nothing good. It means winter nights And being cold, It is lonely, alone. Feeling old. Poor is a tired face. Poor is thin. Poor is standing outside Looking in. Short words and lines create a serious mood. Words create a feeling of sadness.

Tone • Attitude a writer takes toward the subject or audience of a poem. The subject of the poem is crocodiles. The author’s attitude towards crocodiles is that they are dangerous. “The Crocodile” How doth the little crocodile Improve his shining tail, And pour the water of the Nile On every golden scale! How cheerfully he seems to grin, How neatly spreads his claws, And welcomes little fishes in With gently smiling jaws!