Introduction to Poetry Objective Students will be able

Introduction to Poetry

Objective Students 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 Silverstein There's a Polar Bear In our Frigidaire-He likes it 'cause it's cold in there. With his seat in the meat And his face in the fish And his big hairy paws In 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 roar If you open the door. And it gives me a scare To know he's in there-That Polary Bear In our Fridgitydaire.

Rhyme Scheme A 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: B __ ____ So was it when my life began, C __ ____ So is it now I am a man, C A So be it when I shall grow old 5 Or let me die! B The child is father of the man: C And I could wish my days to be D Bound each to each by natural piety. D --William Wordsworth 1. Rhyme Scheme 2. Alliteration (first 3 lines) 3. Personification

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 Personification Symbolism

Imagery consists of the pictures a poet creates or suggests to the reader These images allow the reader to participate in the poem Poetic imagery appeals to the five senses: Sight: Visual image Touch: Tactile image Taste : Gustatory image Smell: 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 else The 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 115 th 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 Mayflower When I thought I spied some land I yelled for Captain Arab I have yuh understand Who came running to the deck Said, boys, forget the whale Look on over yonder Cut the engines Change the sail Haul on the bowline We sang that melody Like all tough sailors do When they are far away at sea I think I’ll call it America I said as we hit land I took a deep breath I fell down, I could not stand Captain Arab he started Writing up some deeds He said, Let’s set up a fort And start buying the place with beads Just then this cop comes down the street Crazy as a loon He throw us all in jail For carryin’ harpoons

Ah me I busted out Don’t even ask me how I went to get some help I walked by a Guernsey cow Who directed me down To the Bowery slums Where people carried signs around Saying, ban the bums I jumped right into line Sayin’, I hope that I’m not late When I realized I hadn’t eaten For five days straight I went into a restaurant Lookin’ for the cook I told them I was the editor Of a famous etiquette book The waitress he was handsome He wore a powder blue cape I ordered some suzette, I said Could you please make that crepe Just then the whole kitchen exploded From boilin’ fat Food was flying everywhere And I left without my hat

Now, I didn’t mean to be nosy But I went into a bank To get some bail for Arab And all the boys back in the tank They asked me for some collateral And I pulled down my pants They threw me in the alley When up comes this girl from France Who invited me to her house I went, but she had a friend Who knocked me out And robbed my boots And I was on the street again Well, I rapped upon a house With the U. S. flag upon display I said, could you help me out I got some friends down the way The man says, get out of here I’ll tear you limb from limb I said, you know they refused Jesus, too He said, you’re not Him Get out of here before I break your bones I ain’t your pop I decided to have him arrested And I went looking for a cop

I ran right outside And I hopped inside a cab I went out the other door This Englishman said, Fab As he saw me leap a hot dog stand And a chariot that stood Parked across from a building Advertising brotherhood I ran right through the front door Like a hobo sailor does But it was just a funeral parlor And the man asked me who I was I repeated that my friends Were all in jail, with a sigh He gave me his card He said, call me if they die I shook his hand said goodbye Ran out to the street When a bowling ball came down the road And knocked me off my feet A pay phone was ringing It just about blew my mind When I picked it up and said hello This foot came through the line

Well, by this time I was fed up At tryin’ to make a stab At bringin’ back any help For my friends and Captain Arab I decided to flip a coin Like either heads or tails Would let me know if I should go Back to ship or back to jail So I hocked my sailor suit And I got a coin to flip It came up tails It rhymed with sails So I made it back to the ship Well, I got back and took The parkin’ ticket off the mast I was ripping it to shreds When this coastguard boat went past They asked me my name And I said, Captain Kidd They believed me but They wanted to know What exactly that I did I said for the Pope of Eruke I was employed They let me go right away They were very paranoid

Well, the last I heard of Arab He was stuck on a whale That was married to the deputy Sheriff of the jail But the funniest thing was When I was leavin’ the bay I saw three ships a-sailin’ They were all heading my way I asked the captain what his name was And how come he didn’t drive a truck He said his name was Columbus I just said, Good luck

Objective Students 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 story So 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: Ballads Epics

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

Well, the last I heard of Arab A He was stuck on a whale B That was married to the deputy C Sheriff of the jail B But the funniest thing was D When I was leavin’ the bay E I saw three ships a-sailin’ F They were all heading my way E I asked the captain what his name was D And how come he didn’t drive a truck G He said his name was Columbus H I 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 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 beings The 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 looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on

Objective Students 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 Poetry The 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 Snow Across a Barn or through a Rut Debates if it will go. A Narrow Wind complains all Day How some one treated him Nature, like Us, is sometimes caught Without 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. 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. Tim is such a great, grand fellow, He takes all our junk, and rotten jello. He clears the land of all the trash, He deserves Our full attention, And doesn't stop for new year's bash. Not to mention a good size pension. He doesn't break on Christmas day, Well garbage men I thank you, Nope, with his garbage truck he'll stay. For serving me and America too. Through the thick and through the thin, Tim will carry out our bins.

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 Whitman When 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

Objective Students 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 scheme Whitman is called the “father of free verse” Free verse can flow much like regular speech or stream of consciousness

Free 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. cummings Buffalo Bill's defunct who used to ride a watersmooth-silver stallion and break onetwothreefourfivepigeonsjustlikethat Jesus he was a handsome man and what i want to know is how do you like your blueeyed boy Mister 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 theme?

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

I, Too by Langston Hughes I, too, sing America. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen And be ashamed-I, too, am America. When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen, " Then.

Analyzing Poetry Please 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. 75 The New Colossus pg. 33

Poetry Poster Using a poem of your choosing: Write the entire poem on your poster (Choose one that will fit!) And Identify the: Poet and Title Type of Poem Theme: 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