The Art of Poetry By Former Student What

“The Art of Poetry” By Former Student

“What do I Write About? ” § The most important element of a poem is the idea behind it! § Your poetry should express your thoughts and feelings. § Poems that only state the obvious bore us! § Use the high points, low points, or turning points in your life.

Ideas!! § Some subjects for poetry you may want to write about are: § Love § Nature § Special Occasions § No matter what it is you choose, make sure you are prepared to write about it!

“Voice” Voice is a very important aspect of any poem. Always be sure the voice that you are using is appropriate for the subject of your poem. § For Example: If you are talking about loss or death, you would not want to come across, with a cheerful voice in your poem right? § §

Lines in a Poem § It is always a good idea to use a zinger as a first line in your poem. § A zinger, is a line that grabs the attention of readers, and pulls them into your poem. § The length of the line can also help to express the mood of your poem. § The longer the line, the greater the emotion. § The shorter the line, the greater the drama.

The Stanza § The stanza pivots your poem like chapters in a book. § It helps to set the mood, and the pace of a poem. § It also creates patterns in the poem , to guide the poet, and empowers the patterns of a formal verse.

Title? § Whenever deciding on a title, think of it as a commitment to your readers. § You are promising to tell them about something, if they take the time to stop and read you work. § The poem should always meet the expectations it’s title sends out!

Rhyme § Not all poems have to rhyme, but if you do choose to, it is very important that it is done the right way. § Rhyme can help shape your poem by, enhancing the sound, combining and adding a beat, and set a mood for the content. § But, if it is used, use it throughout the poem, and not just parts of it. § If you don’t your poem could sound incomplete.

Formats of Poetry § § § There are many different formats including: Narrative Lyric Dramatic Free Verse The sonnet

The Narrative Poem § All Narrative poems have one thing in common; they tell a story. § There a 6 elements to a narrative poem being: topic, theme, voice, viewpoint, moment, and ending. § In the topic you must determine what happens in your story. § You then have to come up with a theme to portray in your poem.

The Narrative Poem continues… § Then make sure the voice of your poem matches the subject matter. § After that establish a viewpoint. Each character will have a different one( Use the one that will have the biggest impact) § Then you must choose the moment, this is where you relate the events in your story. § And then of course create the ending, open or closed, it is up to you!

The Lyric Poem § This poem focuses intensely on one subject, and tries to evoke emotions out of the reader. § They rely mainly on poetic devices, like metaphors, similes, rhymes, voice, and so on. § A lyric poem often tries to reenact and experience.

The Dramatic Poem § Dramatic poems can be either narrative, or lyric. § It contains a series of dramatic events, or character studies. § The focus is intense, and it’s characters are featured.

Free Verse Poetry § Free Verse lacks distinctive form or tradition. § If you compose a poem, and follow the guidelines on idea, voice, stanza, and such, then your poem isn’t free, it’s structured. § For example, if you follow a rhyme scheme, then the rhymes would determine where the lines end. § In free verse, you decide when to break a line, make a stanza, and end the poem.

The Sonnet § Every sonnet form was designed to convey topics using a rhyme scheme. § In a sonnet, there must be a turn point. This is where the poem addresses theme, or the conflict is resolved. § Each sonnet was designed to fit in short form, so be careful when choosing a topic.

A Form Poem § A form poem has a fixed scheme. § They tend to have only a few rhymes, and often repeat entire lines. § Each form in the poem was created to convey different moods. § Choose rhyming words that are associated with your topic, because these will repeat.

A Sequence § A sequence is a poem in parts. § It is made up of individual poems that can stand alone, but when grouped together, become a much greater work. § It is tricky to build, topics need significant time elements, and logical concepts. § After you gat your topics in order build away!

Works Cited Bugeja J. Michael. The Art and Craft of Poetry. Cincinnati, 1994