Poetry Notes and Examples

1. Poetry Notes and Examples

2. Forms of Poetry • Although the form of poems may differ in structure, they all express the author’s thoughts and feelings. • When reading a poem, do not pause at the end of each line. Rather, pause slightly for commas and come to a full stop at periods. Narrative poetry tells a story in verse, often have elements similar to short stories, such as plot and characters. Haiku is a three-line Japanese verse form. The first and third lines each have five syllables and the second line has seven. Free Verse poetry is defined by its lack of strict structure. It has no regular meter, rhyme, fixed line length, or stanza pattern. Concrete poems are shaped to look like their subjects. The poet arranges the lines to create a picture on the page.

3. Figurative Language- writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally. • Metaphor- describes one thing as if it were something else. • The house was a zoo this morning! • Personification- gives human qualities to something that is not human. • The cars growled in the traffic. • Simile- uses like or as to compare two unlike things. • He stormed into the meeting like a tornado. • Symbol- anything that represents something else. • a dove is a symbol for peace • a heart is a symbol for love. • (Notice something tangible represents something intangible.)

4. Sound Devicesenhance a poem’s mood and meaning. Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the beginning of words. Repetition is the use of any element of language more than once. (sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence) Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate sounds. Rhyme is the repetition of sounds at the ends of words.

5. Graphic elements- strengthen the sound or visual appeal of the poemand are the visual features that can influence a poem’s meaning. Punctuation- marks, such as commas, show the reader where to slow down or pause. Line length- can help determine whether a poem has a flowing sound or a short, choppy sound. Word position- can show relationships between words and ideas. It also shows the different structures of poems. Capital letters- Capitalizing the first word in a line is one of the traditional tools of poetry writing.  Some poets use capital letters for emphasis (or the lack of capital letters for emphasis).

6. The poet e. e. cummings used the graphical elements of inventive punctuation, capitalization, and word placement in his poems. the little horse is newlY By: e.e. cummings the little horse is newlYBorn)he knows nothing;and feelseverything;all around whom isperfectly a strangeness Of sunlight and of fragrance and ofSinging)is everywhere(a welcomingdream:is amazing)a worlD.and inthis world lies:smoothbeautifuLlyfolded;a(breathing and a groWing)silence,who;is:somEoNe. l(a le af fa ll s) one l iness —e. e. cummings

7. Self-Portrait George Ella Lyon Free verse poem. In this poem, the author uses several devices to allow the reader to know who she is as a person: • Imagery • Metaphor for the sound of her voice • Events showing what type of person she was when she was younger • Emotions/feelings • Thoughts/ideas about life • Hints at what her home life was like and whether she liked it • Bolded words • Varied line length • Uneven stanza lines: no pattern Tomboy caught walking Mrs. Haygood’s clothesline, digging to China in the alley, running away from home on the traintracks, painting the doorknobs red. I would really rather not tell you about her. She’s wearing that red dress her mother got her for her birthday and she’s considering taking up bungee jumping because it’s safer than getting out of bed. If you ask seven stones why the creek ran dry, their voices might remind you of hers.

8. Foul Shot by Edwin A. Hoey With two 60s stuck on the scoreboard And two seconds hanging on the clock, The solemn boy in the center of eyes, Squeezed by silence, Seeks out the line with his feet, Soothes his hands along his uniform, Gently drums the ball against the floor, Then measures the waiting net, Raises the ball on his right hand, Balances it with his left, Calms it with fingertips, Breathes, Crouches, Waits, And then through a stretching of stillness, Nudges it upwards. The ball Slides up and out, Lands, Leans, Wobbles, Wavers, Hesitates, Plays it coy Until every face begs with unsounding screams-- And then And then And then, Right before ROAR-UP, Drives down and through. What can you tell me about the topic of this poem? How does the form of the poem help the reader understand meaning? What graphic elements help the reader understand the action of the poem?

9. Don’t be Afraid to let your words play on the page Let them line up like soldiers on parade. Let them dash down stairs. Let them fall fast and CRASH on the grasssss. Or skip from rock to rock across a stream. To emphasize a word, make it live alone on its very own line. Add stanza breaks or dashes to make the reader stop – Play with punctuation. Ellipses make words trail off… Parentheses add subtlety (to a sly aside). Indent a line to expand on a thought of the line that came before. Let yourwordsbuildandexplode! them in air. Let linger the Let them slink away s l o w l y till they’rebarelyeventhere. What poetic devices (figurative language, sound devices, or graphic elements) does this poet use to give the reader a picture of the topic? What can you tell me about the message of the poem? How does the form of the poem help the reader understand meaning? Wolf, Allan. (2006). Immersed in verse. New York, NY: Lark Books

10. "Luciérnages" (Fireflies) by José Juan Tablada

11. Some poetry forms in which graphic elements are important include: • Haiku—a traditional form of Japanese poetry that is often about nature. • The first line always has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line has five syllables. • Green and speckled legs, Hop on logs and lily pads Splash in cool water. Mountains come alive; deer, trout and conifers thrive. . . . Springtime’s scenic drive. sea's sound in the breeze captured in a pretty shell. . . . nature's gift to me

12. Diamante—a seven line poem written in the shape of a diamond. Each line has specific types of words. • Line 1 is a noun • Line 2 contains two adjectives describing the first line. • Line 3 has three action verbs that relate to line 1. • Line 4 has 4 nouns (or a short phrase); first two are about line 1, the second 2 are about line 7. • Line 5 contains 3 action verbs that relate to line 7. • Line 6 has two adjectives that describe line 7. • Line 7 is a noun (a synonym or an antonym to line 1). square symmetrical, conventional shaping, measuring, balancing boxes, rooms,clocks, halos encircling, circumnavigating, enclosing round, continuous circle Monsters Creepy, sinister Hiding, lurking, stalking Vampires, werewolves, mummies, and zombies Chasing, pouncing, eating Hungry, scary Creatures

13. Concrete Poetry—In this type of poetry, the author uses graphical elements by arranging letters and lines. The resulting visual image is the topic of the poem.

15. Identifying Similes and Metaphors Poetry Assignment #1 Decide whether each sentence contains a simile or a metaphor. Write the word SIMILE if the sentence contains a simile. Write the word METAPHOR if the sentence contains a metaphor. 1. The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves. 2. As the teacher entered the room she muttered under her breath, "This class is like a three-ring circus!" 3. The giant’s steps were thunder as he ran toward Jack. 4. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day. 5. I feel like a limp dishrag. 6. Those girls are like two peas in a pod. 7. The fluorescent light was the sun during our test. 8. No one invites Harold to parties because he’s a wet blanket. 9. The bar of soap was a slippery eel during the dog’s bath. 10. Ted was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs.

16. Identifying the Words Poetry Assignment #2 On your paper, find the metaphor and write it down, and write the words being compared on your paper. 1. The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves. 2. As the teacher entered the room she muttered under her breath, "This class is like a three-ring circus!" 3. The giant’s steps were thunder as he ran toward Jack. 4. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day. 5. I feel like a limp dishrag. 6. Those girls are like two peas in a pod. 7. The fluorescent light was the sun during our test. 8. No one invites Harold to parties because he’s a wet blanket. 9. The bar of soap was a slippery eel during the dog’s bath. 10. Ted was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs.

17. Simile/Metaphor Poems Hockey --by Rachel Hockey is like reading. You get into it and then you never want to stop; You feel like you're in a different world. Hockey is like school. You have to do your work and you have to practice or you will get an "F“. Hockey is like math. You get stronger and before you know it You're getting an "A“; You’re scoring goals. Now that's Hockey! Untitled Poem A hand is like an open basket waiting for you to put things in.A foot is like a walking racket stomp, step, skip, jump in.A nose is like a high up mound that you can climb and then slide down.A mouth is like a funny clown which makes us laugh and never frown.Your eyes are like a fire burning with desire.Your mind is like a climbing wire with every reach you go higher.

18. I Am … I am an oyster; a tough layer protects me and keeps the real me a secret. However, if you crack the shell you’ll find a tender, precious “gem”. I am a turtle; shy, nervous, and when faced with conflict I hide in my shell. I am a rose; if you feed me with love daily I blossom and bloom, but when left on my own I wither and fade. I am a morning glory; one minute I’m open happy, and alive, but the next minute I’m closed to the world. I am a beam of moonlight; giving light and security to those in total darkness. I am an answering machine; always listening but never saying much. I am a bottle of white out; always trying to cover mistakes before anyone can notice them. But most importantly I am myself. Bailey Donovan Period 6 Metaphor poem. In this poem, the author uses a series of metaphors to show who he is as a person: • 7 metaphors • imagery • explanations for the metaphors that give both a positive comparison & a negative/contrasting comparison • Emotions/feelings

19. Being Painted Black I feel like I am a parchment That was colored in colors of gray. I feel like I am a drop of ink, That is being wiped away. I feel like I am being erased From a pure and snow white canvas. I feel like I am being redrawn With charcoal, on a dark black surface. I feel like shades of black and blue, On a picture painted white. I feel like a portrait of a withered tree, On a bleak and dreary night. I feel like a brush that’s been stained and worthless And can be used no more. I know that when all is said and done, I am a poet with nothing to say, Whose words were scribbled down on the paper of life, All balled up and then thrown away. ---Laura Phillips, age 16 Simile “I Am” poem. In this poem, the author uses a series of similes to show who she is as a person: • 7 similes • She uses 1 metaphor • imagery • explanations for the similes that explain the comparison • Emotions/feelings • One oxymoron: “poet with nothing go say”

20. Simile/Metaphor Poem Your poem: • Must be about one topic (suggestions: you,your family, or your pet). • Must have a title. • Should be between 10-20 lines in length. • Must have at least one illustration related to the meaning of the poem. • Word placement and graphics must add to the meaning of the poem. • Write at least three metaphors and/or similes that describe your topic. • Use imagery, specific word choice, and unique voice to explain why/how the metaphors/similes represent your topic. • Every line cannot begin with “I Am”. At most, “I Am” can be on every third line. • Use placement on the page and punctuation to help the reader understand how to read your poem.

21. Extended metaphor is a metaphor introduced and then further developed throughout all or part of a literary work, especially a poem. For example, Robert Frost uses two roads as an extended metaphor in “The Road Not Taken.” Pre-AP/GT Assignment: Create an Extended Metaphor poem using what you have learned during class discussion and following the guidelines below. The Extended Metaphor Poem: • Must be about you, your family, or your pet, or some topic you know a lot about. • Must have a title • Should be between 12-20 lines in length • Must have at least one illustration related to the meaning of the poem • Word placement and graphics should add to the meaning if you choose to use them • Must contain only ONE comparison between you/your family/your pet (chosen topic) that extends the entire length of the poem and explains the comparison within the body of the poem

22. Extended Metaphor Poems Fifth of July My family is an expired firecrackerset off by the blowtorch of divorce. We layscattered in many directions.My father is the wick, badly burntbut still glowing softly.My mother is the blackened paper fluttering down,blowing this way and that, unsure where to land.My sister is the fallen, colorful parachute,lying in a tangled knot, unable to see the beauty sheholds.My brother is the fresh, untouched powder thatwas protected from the flame. And I,I am the singed, outside papers, curled awayfrom everything, silently cursingthe blowtorch. By: John • Metaphor for a Family • My family lives inside a medicine chest: Dad is the super-size band aid, strong and powerfulbut not always effective in a crisis.Mom is the middle-size tweezer,which picks and pokes and pinches.David is the single small aspirin on the third shelf,sometimes ignored.Muffin, the sheep dog, is a round cotton ball, stained and dirty, that pops off the shelf and bounces in my way as I open the door.And I am the wood and glue which hold us all together with my love. • By: Belinda

23. in just- in Just- spring when the world is mud- luscious the little lame balloonman Whistles far and wee and eddieandbill come running from marbles and piracies and it's Spring when the world is puddle-wonderful the queer old balloonman whistles Far and wee and bettyandisbel come dancing from hop-scotch and jump-rope and it's spring and the goat-footed balloonMan whistles far and wee e.e. cummings If If freckles were lovely, and day was night, And measles were nice and a lie warn't a lie, Life would be delight,-- But things couldn't go right For in such a sad plight I wouldn't be I. If earth was heaven and now was hence, And past was present, and false was true, There might be some sense But I'd be in suspense For on such a pretense You wouldn't be you. If fear was plucky, and globes were square, And dirt was cleanly and tears were glee Things would seem fair,-- Yet they'd all despair, For if here was there We wouldn't be we. e.e. cummings