Elements of Poetry

1
Elements of Poetry

• The Basics of Poetry
• Mary Ellen Hunt
• 7th Grade Language Arts
• E.J. Hayes Middle School

2
Poetry is.

• A group of words arranged on a page that
  expresses a thought, emotion, image or insight
  using targeted, musical, and emotional word
  choices

3
Speaker

• When an author writes a poem, he or she uses an
  imaginary voice that narrates the poem. This
  voice can be the actual voice of the author, or
  it can be the author taking on the persona of
  something or someone else. This is known as the
  speaker of the poem.

4
Sound Devices

• A sound device is a technique that an author uses
  to make the poem sound musical when read aloud.
• Rhymethe repetition of sounds at the end of
  words.
• Rhyme schemea regular pattern of rhyming words
  in a poem.
• Rhythmthe pattern of stressed and unstressed
  syllables in a poem.
• Repetitionthe use, more than once, of any
  element of language
• Refraina regularly repeated line or group of
  lines in a poem.

5
Sound Devices, part two

• Alliterationthe repetition of the initial
  consonant sound. Ex. Leaping lizards left
  Laredo.
• Assonancethe repetition of vowel sounds. Ex.
  Echoes of woes surround the ode.
• Consonancethe repetition of consonant sounds in
  the middle or ends of words. Ex. Sibilance, the
  snakes excellent essay.
• Onomatopoeiathe use of words that sound like
  what they mean. Ex. Fizz, crash, buzz

6
Figurative Language

• Metaphora direct comparison between two unlike
  things.
• For example, I can say, This class is a zoo.
• Simile an indirect comparison between two unlike
  things using like or as.
• Allusiona reference to a well-known person,
  event, place, literary work, or work of art.
• Dictionthe way an author chooses particular
  words and puts them together.
• Sensory Language (Imagery)words/images that
  appeal to the readers five senses.

7
Figurative Language, part two

• Oxymoronputs two opposing or contradictory
  images together for effect e.g. jumbo shrimp.
• Personificationwhen an author gives something
  non human (usually, an animal) human personality.
• Symbolismthe use of symbols (objects that stand
  for something else) in poetry.
• Hyperbolethe use of exaggeration to emphasize a
  point e.g. Im so hungry I could eat 1,000
  hamburgers.

8
Poetic Forms

• Concrete poems have a shape that suggests their
  subject.
• Free verse poems are not written in a regular
  rhythm or meter.
• Haiku are 3 line poems that are arranged in a
  5-7-5 syllable format and are usually about
  nature.
• Limericks are humorous, rhyming, five line poems
  with a specific meter and rhyme scheme.
• Lyric poems are highly musical and express the
  observations and feelings of a single speaker.
• Narrative poems are stories told in verse.