Poetry

1. Poetry Subcategories

2. Nursery Rhymes • Fun, usually short poems • Written for children, often for bedtime • Mother Goose was the first collection (unsure if existed) • Sometimes written for adults to secretly make fun of rulers or document history

3. Limerick • Short humorous poem • Usually 5 lines • Begins with “There once was…” • Rumored to have been created in Ireland in the city of the same name • Began around the 18th/19th century • Has a specific beat and rythm

4. Example There once was a young man named Dean Who loved to eat peaches ice cream One day he found out That they were all out And it made him so mad he could scream

5. Haiku • A short poem of Japanese origin • Uses imagery to describe nature, usually a particular season • Traditionally has three lines and seventeen syllables • Format: 5 7 5

6. Example The sun takes its bow A myriad of colors Fading to shadows

7. Narrative Poem • A story told in poem format • Usually rhymes • Oldest form (sung by bards) • Longest form Ex.- “Paul Revere’s Last Ride”

8. Lyric Poem • Describes feelings and ideas • Usually shorter than narrative verse • Must rhyme and have a distinct rhythm • Most common form

9. Free Verse • Has no set length or rhyme scheme • Can have a rhythm (beat) • Has no rules! • The most modern form of poetry Ex. List poems

10. Epitaph • An inscription carved on a tombstone • Usually humorous and short • Think The Haunted Mansion in Disney • Usually begins with “Here Lies…”

11. Shape Poem • A poem in the shape of its subject

12. Poetry Book • Write the type and its definition on a page • Each one has their own page except: Narrative, Lyric, and Free Verse (on one page together) • Create an example for each (except the ones above, pick one of them) • Have an illustration for your example • Be Creative!