Introduction to Poetry

Introduction to Poetry “In a poem the words should be as pleasing to the ear as the meaning is to the mind.” Marianne Moore

What is a POEM? • Webster says a poem is a metrical composition; a composition in verse written in certain measures, whether in blank verse or in rhyme, and characterized by imagination and poetic diction • Some poems are very formal, and others are more playful. Some are published in beautiful books, and others are written on sidewalks. • The thing that makes all poems alike is that each expresses the writer’s imagination and feelings in a creative way.

What is a POEM? • Think of the poems you’ve read in the past. Can you remember one you’ve enjoyed? Now think of the lyrics of your favorite song. Now consider the following questions: • What is the most memorable line of the poem or song? • Are the lines grouped in any particular way? • Do any of the lines rhyme?

Unit Goal 1 • Text Analysis: • Analyze a poem’s form and structure, including free verse, lyric poetry, narrative poetry, ballads, and Haiku. • Determine the figurative and connotative meanings of words and phrases in a text. • Analyze the interaction of elements such as rhyme, repetition, and alliteration.

Unit Goal 2 • Reading: • Make inferences and connect ideas between texts. • Analyze the structure an author uses to organize text

Unit Goal 3 • Writing and Language: • Write an online feature article. • Choose language to eliminate redundancy. • Use commas to separate coordinate conjunctions.

Unit Goal 4 • Speaking and Listening: • Update an online feature article

Unit Goal 5 • Identify the meaning of foreign words used in English.

Let’s Get To It!

The Human Brain • Divided into 2 parts • Each half has its own function Left Brain: Logic Reality Right Brain: Creativity Emotions

To clarify . . . When you are looking at big puffy clouds . . . Your right brain tells you, “Hey! That one looks like a bunny.” While your left brain tells you . . .

It’s a cloud, Stupid!

So, which half do you use when studying poetry? Here are a few hints: • Poetry requires creativity • Poetry requires emotion • Poetry requires an artistic quality • Poetry requires logic Survey says . . .

both

For the Left Brain: Recognizing certain devices used within a poem will give the left brain something to concentrate on. We’ll start with the sound devices:

My Beard by Shel Silverstein My beard grows to my toes, I never wears no clothes, I wraps my hair Around my bare, And down the road I goes. RHYME The repetition of sounds at the ends of words Example: hat, cat, brat, fat, mat, sat Here is another example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGrcdq2viZg

RHYTHM The beat When reading a poem out loud, you may notice a sort of “sing-song” quality to it, just like in nursery rhymes. This is accomplished by the use of rhythm. Rhythm is broken into seven types. • Iambic • Anapestic • Trochaic • Dactylic • Monosyllabic • Spondaic • Accentual Less Common Most Used

These identify patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. That means one syllable is pronounced stronger, and one syllable is softer. iambic: unstressed anapestic: stressed trochaic: dactylic:

METER The length of a line of poetry, based on what type of rhythm is used. It is the rhythmical pattern in a poem. The length of a line of poetry is measured in metrical units called “FEET”. Each foot consists of one unit of rhythm. So, if the line is iambic or trochaic, a foot of poetry has 2 syllables. If the line is anapestic or dactylic, a foot of poetry has 3 syllables.

(This is where it’s going to start sounding like geometry class, so you left-brainers are gonna love this!) Each set of syllables is one foot, and each line is measured by how many feet are in it. The length of the line of poetry is then labeled according to how many feet are in it. 1: Monometer 5: Pentameter 2: Dimeter 6: Hexameter 3: Trimeter 7: Heptameter 4: Tetrameter 8: Octameter *there is rarely more than 8 feet*

She Walks in Beauty I. She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellowed to that tender light Which Heaven to gaudy day denies. Reading this poem out loud makes the rhythm evident. Which syllables are more pronounced? Which are naturally softer? ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ II. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impaired the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o’er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express, How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. Count the syllables in each line to determine the meter. III. And on that cheek, and o’er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent! Examination of this poem reveals that it would be considered iambic tetrameter.

Now try this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF1QzjmeYpY • First, count the syllables. • Second, divide by two. Remember these groups of two are called feet. • Third, label the meter. • Fourth, listen carefully to the rhythm. Is it a rising rhythm or a falling rhythm?

ALLITERATION The repetition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line. To the lay-person, these are called “tongue-twisters”. Example: How much dew would a dewdrop drop if a dewdrop did drop dew?

Let’s see what this looks like in a poem we are familiar with. Alliteration Alliteration She Walks in Beauty I. She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellowed to that tender light Which Heaven to gaudy day denies. Alliteration These examples use the beginning sounds of words only twice in a line, but by definition, that’s all you need.

Examples: growl, hiss, pop, boom, crack, ptthhhbbb. Onomatopoeia Words that spell out sounds; words that sound like what they mean.

Let’s see what this looks like in a poem we are not so familiar with yet. Noise Day by Shel Silverstein Let’s have one day for girls and boyses When you can make the grandest noises. Screech, scream, holler, and yell – Buzz a buzzer, clang a bell, Sneeze – hiccup – whistle – shout, Laugh until your lungs wear out, Toot a whistle, kick a can, Bang a spoon against a pan, Sing, yodel, bellow, hum, Blow a horn, beat a drum, Rattle a window, slam a door, Scrape a rake across the floor . . .. Onomatopoeia Several other words not highlighted could also be considered as onomatopoeia. Can you find any?

Repetition Using the same key word or phrase throughout a poem. This should be fairly self-explanatory, but . . . at risk of sounding like a broken record . . .

Valued Treasue by Chris R. Carey Time to spend; time to mend. Time to hate; time to wait. Time is the essence; time is the key. Time will tell us what we will be. Time is the enemy; time is the proof. Time will eventually show us the truth. Time is a mystery; time is a measure. Time for us is valued treasure. Time to spend; time to mend. Time to cry . . . Time to die.

So, which is the repeated key word or phrase?

Valued Treasue by Chris R. Carey Time to spend; time to mend. Time to hate; time to wait. Time is the essence; time is the key. Time will tell us what we will be. Time is the enemy; time is the proof. Time will eventually show us the truth. Time is a mystery; time is a measure. Time for us is valued treasure. Time to spend; time to mend. Time to cry . . . Time to die.

So, which is the repeated key word or phrase? Fairly obvious, huh?

Refrain The repetition of one or more phrases or lines at the end of a stanza. It can also be an entire stanza that is repeated periodically throughout a poem, kind of like a chorus of a song.

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Remember this

I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing of my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery. When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see. I say, It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile, . . . The grace of my style. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Look familiar? That is refrain.

2 More Sound Devices • Assonance- the repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonants in stressed syllables, as in blade and maze. • Consonance- the repetition of similar consonant sounds at the ends of accented syllables, as in wind and sand.

Figurative Language • The writing or speech not meant to be taken literally. Poets use figures of speech to state ideas in new ways. • Poets write poems that are usually divided into lines and then grouped into stanzas, or verses. • Look at the following figurative language types.

Simile A comparison between two usually unrelated things using the word “like” or “as”. Examples: Joe is as hungry as a bear. In the morning, Rae is like an angry lion.

Simile Let’s see what this looks like in a poem we have never seen before in our lives Simile Ars Poetica By Archibald MacLeish A poem should be palpable and mute as a globed fruit, Silent as the sleeve-worn stone Of casement ledges where the moss has grown— A poem should be wordless As the flight of birds. Simile

Metaphor An implied comparison between two usually unrelated things. Examples: Lenny is a snake. Ginny is a mouse when it comes to standing up for herself. The difference between a simile and a metaphor is that a simile requires either “like” or “as” to be included in the comparison, and a metaphor requires that neither be used.

When it comes to using a metaphor device in poetry, a poet can either make the entire poem a metaphor for something, or put little metaphors throughout the poem. • The following poem is one big metaphor.

Hyperbole An exaggeration for the sake of emphasis. Examples: I may sweat to death. The blood bank needs a river of blood.

Personification Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects, ideas, or animals. Example: The sun stretched its lazy fingers over the valley.

Symbol A word or image that signifies something other than what is literally represented. Examples: Dark or black images in poems are often used to symbolize death. Light or white images are often used to symbolize life.

Imagery Using words to create a picture in the reader’s mind.

Forms of Poetry

Free Verse Poetry that follows no rules. Just about anything goes. This does not mean that it uses no devices, it just means that this type of poetry does not follow traditional conventions such as punctuation, capitalization, rhyme scheme, rhythm and meter, etc. Fog The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then, moves on. No Rhyme No Rhythm No Meter This is free verse.

Allusion A reference to another piece of literature or to history. Example: “She hath Dian’s wit” (from Romeo and Juliet). This is an allusion to Roman mythology and the goddess Diana. The three most common types of allusion refer to mythology, the Bible, and Shakespeare’s writings.

Other Forms of Poetry • Narrative- poem tells a story in verse. Narrative poems often have elements similar to those in short stories, such as plot and character. • Haiku- a three line Japanese poem verse form. The first and third lines each have 5 syllables and the second line has 7 syllables. So, 5-7-5.

Other Forms of Poetry • Lyric- poem expresses thoughts and feelings of a single speaker, often in highly musical verse. This may be why words to songs are called lyrics. • Ballads- songlike poems that tell a story, often dealing with adventure and romance. Again, in music most love songs are called ballads.

Other Forms of Poetry • Concrete- poems shaped to look like their subjects. The poet arranges the line to create a picture on the page. • Limericks- humorous, rhyming, five-line poems with a specific rhythm pattern and rhyme scheme. Ex-There was an Old Man in a boat, Who said, 'I'm afloat, I'm afloat!' When they said, 'No! you ain't! ‘He was ready to faint, That unhappy Old Man in a boat. • Rhyming Couplets- pairs of rhyming lines, usually of the same meter and length

Introduction to Poetry