Poetry

1. Poetry Types of Poetry

2. Haiku • Japanese poem of 3 lines, consisting of a total of 17 syllables. • Strictly speaking the syllables should be split into lines like this 5-7-5. • This type of poem does not rhyme. • Often has references to nature, but you don’t necessarily have to stick to that. • As a rule, if you write a haiku, make it 3 lines and 17 syllables total. Try to keep the syllables per line as close to 5-7-5 as possible for extra marks.

3. Free Verse • Does not rhyme. • Can be any length. • Does not keep to any rhythm that generally goes along with rhyming. • This is the most free form of poetry. There are a great deal fewer restrictions than with other forms.

4. Rhyming Verse • Can be any length but is most often an even number of lines. There are, however, poems where odd numbers of lines might rhyme. • In many cases this type of poem will be split into verses or stanzas of an even number of lines. • There is usually a rhythm that comes from the stressed syllables in these poems. • The rhyming lines can be set up however you like. You can rhyme 2 in a row, every second, every third, or you can make it more complicated if you like.

5. Song Lyrics • Songs can be poetry too. There are songs that can be read as poetry and poems that have been put to music. • Often has verses which follow a similar form and then the chorus can be a different form. The bridge is likely to be different again. If you are feeling creative you can play with this form as well. • If you choose to do song lyrics as poetry you are not expected to put them to music! Unless you really want to.

6. Sonnet • Shakespeare often wrote this form of poetry. • A sonnet is 14 lines and should be in iambic pentameter which means every second syllable is stressed (duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH). • There are several rhyming patterns you can use. The most well-known is the Shakespearian sonnet. This is described at http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-a-sonnet.html • There are generally more rules but I would be happy to see you following just those above.

7. Narrative Poem • The main rule with this type of poem is that it has to tell a story. It is a little similar to writing a short story. • A narrative poem can rhyme and can include a meter (ie. Rhythm) but doesn’t have to. • Can be short or long but has to be long enough to tell a story. • For an explanation and example try http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Write-a-Narrative-Peom < there is a typo in the actual URL.

8. Have Fun With This • Don’t stress out about writing poetry. You’re writing two different drafts but only redrafting one. It would be great if you could try something a bit more challenging for the second poem! • Try to use what you’ve learned through your analysis when writing your poetry. What sort of language brought about what emotions? Word choice is important. • Believe it or not poetry can be fun. Try to enjoy writing your poems.