Poem or PoetryPoem or Poetry

The word is derived from the The word is derived from the Greek poiein, “to create or Greek poiein, “to create or make.”make.”

Remember:Remember:

• All good poems are uniqueAll good poems are unique

• All good poems broaden our All good poems broaden our comprehension comprehension

• All good poems add layers to our All good poems add layers to our understandingsunderstandings

When Reading Poems:When Reading Poems:

• Read carefullyRead carefully

• Read thoughtfullyRead thoughtfully

• Read sympatheticallyRead sympathetically

Look at Herrick’s PoemLook at Herrick’s Poem

Here a pretty baby liesHere a pretty baby lies

Sung asleep with lullabies:Sung asleep with lullabies:

Pray be silent, and not stirPray be silent, and not stir

Th’easy earth that covers her.Th’easy earth that covers her.

The BalladThe Ballad

• The ballad is one of the earliest poetic forms; The ballad is one of the earliest poetic forms; it is a narrative which was originally spoken or it is a narrative which was originally spoken or sung.sung.

• It usually: It usually: *Is simple. *Is simple.

*Employs dialogue, repetition, minor *Employs dialogue, repetition, minor characterization. characterization. *Is written in quatrains. *Is written in quatrains.

*Has a basic rhyme scheme, primarily A B C B.*Has a basic rhyme scheme, primarily A B C B. *Has a refrain which adds to its songlike *Has a refrain which adds to its songlike

quality.quality. *Ballads often deal with the events of a folk *Ballads often deal with the events of a folk

hero; sometimes they retell historical events; hero; sometimes they retell historical events; often times they deal with the supernatural, often times they deal with the supernatural, disasters, good and evil, and love and loss.disasters, good and evil, and love and loss.

A Ballad of the Mulberry RoadA Ballad of the Mulberry Roadby Ezra Poundby Ezra Pound

The sun rises in south-east corner of thingsThe sun rises in south-east corner of thingsTo look on the tall house of the ShinTo look on the tall house of the ShinFor they have a daughter named Rafu (pretty girl).For they have a daughter named Rafu (pretty girl).She made the name for herself: “Gauze Veil,”She made the name for herself: “Gauze Veil,”For she feeds mulberries to silkworms,For she feeds mulberries to silkworms,     She gets them by the south wall of the town.     She gets them by the south wall of the town.

With green strings she makes the warp of her basket,With green strings she makes the warp of her basket,She makes the shoulder-She makes the shoulder-straps of her basket from the boughs of Katsura,straps of her basket from the boughs of Katsura,And she piles her hair up on the left side of her headpiece.And she piles her hair up on the left side of her headpiece.

Her earrings are made of pearl,Her earrings are made of pearl,Her underskirt is of green pattern-silk,Her underskirt is of green pattern-silk,Her overskirt is the same silk dyed in purple,Her overskirt is the same silk dyed in purple,And when men going by look on Rafu they set down their bAnd when men going by look on Rafu they set down their burdens,urdens,They stand and twirl their moustaches.They stand and twirl their moustaches.

The LyricThe Lyric• Lyric poetry is highly personal and Lyric poetry is highly personal and

emotional.emotional.

• It can be as simple as a sensory It can be as simple as a sensory impression or as elevated as an ode or impression or as elevated as an ode or elegy.elegy.

• Subjective and melodious, it is often Subjective and melodious, it is often reflective in tone; often designed to be reflective in tone; often designed to be set to music.set to music.

• It is written in a repeating stanzaic form.It is written in a repeating stanzaic form.

Let’s Look at Robert Burns’Let’s Look at Robert Burns’ “A Red, Red, Rose” “A Red, Red, Rose”

O my luve’s like a red, red rose, O my luve’s like a red, red rose, That’s newly sprung in June;That’s newly sprung in June;O my luve’s like the melodieO my luve’s like the melodieThat’s sweetly played in tune.That’s sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,So deep in luve am I;So deep in luve am I;And I will luve thee still, my dear,And I will luve thee still, my dear,Till a’ the seas gang dry.Till a’ the seas gang dry.

*Note: This is only two stanzas of his four *Note: This is only two stanzas of his four stanza poem.stanza poem.

The ElegyThe Elegy

• This is a formal lyric poem written in This is a formal lyric poem written in honor of someone who has died.honor of someone who has died.

• Don’t confuse the elegy with the Don’t confuse the elegy with the eulogy (funeral oration).eulogy (funeral oration).

Dramatic MonologueDramatic Monologue• A poem in which a speaker addresses an A poem in which a speaker addresses an

internal listener or the reader.internal listener or the reader.

• Often the speaker includes detail reflecting Often the speaker includes detail reflecting the listener’s nonverbal responses.the listener’s nonverbal responses.

• The dramatic monologue relates an episode The dramatic monologue relates an episode in a speaker’s life through a conversational in a speaker’s life through a conversational format which reveals the character of the format which reveals the character of the speaker.speaker.

• Dramatic monologues can be very rich in Dramatic monologues can be very rich in narrative detail and characterization.narrative detail and characterization.

• To connect dramatic monologue to drama, To connect dramatic monologue to drama, think soliloquy or asidethink soliloquy or aside

The SonnetThe Sonnet

• Has 14 linesHas 14 lines

• Two types: Italian or Petrarchan Two types: Italian or Petrarchan sonnet and English or Shakespeareansonnet and English or Shakespearean

• The two differ in rhyme scheme and The two differ in rhyme scheme and stanza formstanza form

The SonnetThe Sonnet

• Subject matter of sonnets vary Subject matter of sonnets vary greatly – love, religion, politicsgreatly – love, religion, politics

• The sonnet is highly polished, and The sonnet is highly polished, and the strictness of its form the strictness of its form complements the complexity of the complements the complexity of the subject matter.subject matter.

Shakespearean SonnetShakespearean Sonnet

• Three Quatrains (4 lines) and one Three Quatrains (4 lines) and one couplet (two lines)couplet (two lines)

• Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GGGG

Italian:Italian:

• One Octave (eight lines) and one One Octave (eight lines) and one Sestet (six lines)Sestet (six lines)

• Rhyme Scheme: ABBAABBA CDECDE Rhyme Scheme: ABBAABBA CDECDE (the sestet can vary)(the sestet can vary)

What to rememberWhat to remember

• Sonnets, no matter the time period, Sonnets, no matter the time period, will always have 14 lines.will always have 14 lines.

VillanelleVillanelle• Fixed form in poetryFixed form in poetry

• Six stanzas: five tercets (3 lines) and a Six stanzas: five tercets (3 lines) and a final quatrain (4 line)final quatrain (4 line)

• It utilized two refrains: the first and last It utilized two refrains: the first and last lines of the first stanza alternate as the lines of the first stanza alternate as the last line of the next four stanzas and last line of the next four stanzas and then form the final couplet in the then form the final couplet in the quatrain.quatrain.

• Only two rhyming sounds occur Only two rhyming sounds occur throughoutthroughout

• ““Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”