POETRY

1. POETRY

2. WHAT IS POETRY? • A form of communication • Expresses an emotion or idea using sound • and rhythm • Is compact writing • Uses figurative language • Comes in many different formats • Varies in length from long narrative to • short limericks • Usually includes one or more poetic device

3. MOST COMMON FORMS • sonnet • lyric • epic • ballad • ode • haiku • limerick • free verse • blank verse

4. ELEVEN COMMON POETIC DEVICES • Similes • Metaphors • Personification • Hyperbole • Onomatopoeia • Alliteration • Imagery • Interesting language • Rhyme 10. Rhythm 11. Repetition

5. SIMILES Similes are comparisons of unlike objects or concepts that use words such as: like, as, similar to, or seems. This poetic device is one of the most often used techniques in descriptive writing. • Examples: • Her hair is like a silk sheet. • His eyes were clear as crystals. • The puppy’s tail was like a flag waving in the breeze. • The book was as dull as a butter knife.

6. METAPHORS Metaphors are implied comparisons between two objects or concepts, omitting the words like or as. Where a simile would say, “her lips are like roses;” a metaphor would say, "her lips are roses.” In a metaphor, it is implied that one object is another object. It is a stronger, more direct comparison than a simile. • Examples: • Her life was an open book. • Her smile was an ad for a toothpaste commercial. • His muscles were rippling waves of ocean currents. • The horse’s tail was a straw broom sweeping the air. • It is the east and Juliet is the sun.

7. HYPERBOLE Hyperbole (hi-purr-bow-lee) is an exaggeration. It is used for effect and is not intended to be taken literally. Hyperbole is often used in comedy. • Examples: • The odor was strong enough to kill a horse. • He was so handsome that my eyes popped out of my head. • Her biscuits were as hard as baseballs. • The dog ran so fast its feet barely touched the ground. • His smile when he saw the gift was as wide as the Mississippi River.

8. ALLITERATION Alliteration is the most common form of repeated sounds. It is the repetition of initial consonant sounds. This gives the poetry a pleasing combination of sounds. The sound may be repeated in two or more words in the sentence. Alliteration is a special form of Consonance, which is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere in the words (not just the beginning sounds). Another form of repetition is Assonance, which is the repetition of vowel sounds anywhere in the words. • Examples of Alliteration: • Mighty men make money out of movies. • They cleaned until everything was spic and span. • She looked up with quiet, questioning eyes.

9. PERSONIFICATION Personification is a writing technique which gives human characteristics to objects, ideas or other inanimate things. Examples of the often-used technique abound in classical poetry. • Examples: • The moon on the porch rail danced as if on a spotlighted stage. • The tired old shoe felt lonesome and dejected sitting in the back • of the closet. • The rock observed the rushing waterfall as it came crashing • down the mountain. • The dandelion fluff ball cartwheeled in the wind.

11. ONOMATOPOEIA Onomatopoeia (pronounced On-o-mot-uh-pee-uh) is the use of words that sound like the sounds they describe. This includes words like plink, bam, buzz, clink, and boom. This use of sounds enables the writing to seem more alive to the reader. • Examples: • The meowing of the kitten was heard above the sound of the • television. • The water faucet dripped and gurgled in the kitchen sink. • The thirsty toddler slurped the rest of his chocolate milkshake. • The clip-clopping of the horses’ hooves could be heard in the • distance.

12. IMAGERY Imagery is the use of words to paint a picture that allows a creative image to form in the reader’s mind. The writer chooses his or her words carefully so that the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings he or she is describing form vivid images for the reader. • Examples: • The sale at the dress shop was a feeding frenzy. • The pep rally was a kaleidoscope of colors. • The sunset was an explosive fireworks display. • The smell of cookies filled the room with pungent cinnamon and tangy • ginger.

13. INTERESTING LANGUAGE The use of interesting words make the writing more attractive to the reader. Write sentences that use precise, vibrant language to create sentences that paint pictures for the reader. This poetic device will help you develop new vocabularies to be used during poetry writing. Use a dictionary and thesaurus! • Examples: • The scintillating table conversation provided a delightful backdrop to • the ambience of the otherwise subdued restaurant setting. • The obstinate siblings caused an uproarious distraction during the • dignified church service.

14. RHYME Rhyme is using words with similar ending sounds. There are many types of rhyme and a variety of rhyming schemes. When using true rhyme, the last syllables have the same sound. For example: red-bed or cat-hat. Rhyming schemes refers to the sequence of the rhyme. This rhyme is usually notated by letters of the alphabet. Whenever one of the letters is repeated, a rhyming word should be used. • Examples: • AA- The last syllables of each line rhyme. • A little boy named Matt • Receive a brand new hat. • ABAB- The first & third lines rhyme and the second & fourth lines rhyme. • A child sat down for lunch, • He ate a sandwich and chips, • He drank his strawberry punch, • And wiped the red off his lips.

15. RHYTHM Rhythm is the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in the lines of a poem. In many forms of poetry, this pattern is what gives the poetry its musical quality and provides a “flow” as it is being read. Reading poetry aloud and listening to the stressed and unstressed patterns help when writing poetry with rhythmic patterns. Marking the syllabication of words help writers identify the stressed and unstressed patterns. Drumming the beat of the rhythm on your desktop is helpful. • Examples of types of Rhythm: • iambic – da-DA • trochaic – DA-da • anapestic – da-da-DA • dactylic – DA-da-da • spondaic – DA-DA

16. REPETITION Repetition refers to repeating words, lines, or stanzas throughout a poem in order to give more emphasis to the lines that are repeated. It is an effective way to vary the pattern of the poem. Examples: The wind blew her hair about her head that day, And tried to whip her blue bonnet away, She cried “Oh sir, please help me along! I’m trying to get home, but the wind is so strong!” The wind is so strong, Please help me along, As the wind blew her hair about her head that day.