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Poetry

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What is poetry?

• Robert Frost • Rita Dove• T.S. Eliot• Thomas Gray• Walter Mosley• Percy Bysshe Shelley

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So..what IS poetry?• Poetry is the most emotionally charged means

of written expression & it consists of words arranged in patterns of sound and imagery to spark an emotional response from us.

• Poetry is the language of the imagination, of feelings, of emotional self-expression, of high art.

• Prose explains, but poetry sings.• The language in poetry is musical, precise,

memorable & magical.

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What is the language of poetry?• Imagery: Imagery refers to pictures created in

your mind by the words.

Literal images: the words are used to describe something directly by appealing to one or more of our senses.

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What are the different literal imageries?

• Visual imagery: things we can see

The sun was shining on the sea, shining with all it’s might. He did his very best to make billows smooth and

bright. And this was off, because it was the middle of the night. ˜ Lewis Carroll

• Tactile images: appeals to our sense of touch

Through the green twilight of a hedge, I peeredWith cheek on the cool leaves pressed. ˜

Walter de la Mare

• Auditory images: refers to the sound of things, usually effecting an onomatopeia (words that imitate ds or sounds linked with objects).

Bow wow says the dog, mewmew says the cat, grunt grunt goes the hog and squeak goes the rat. ˜ Mother Goose

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• Olfactory images: suggest the smell of things

As mommy washed up and the children played, the smell of warm butter filled the air. ˜ Anonymous• Kinesthetic images: refers to actions

or motions

A poem once stopped me on the street. I’ve got a poem stuck on my feet. A poem attacked by in the shower. I find a poem most every hour! ˜ Mark Stansell• Gustatory images: suggests

the taste of things

A mouse found a beautiful piece of plum cake. The richest and sweetest a

mortal could make. T’was heavy with citron and fragrant with spice, and

covered with sugar all sparkling as ice. ˜ Iona Opie

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Figurative Imagery

• The words are used to describe one thing by comparing it to something else with which we are more familiar.

• The poet uses figurative language to bring us new experiences, new visions and new ways of looking at the world.

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• Simile: is a stated comparison – using connective words such as “like” and “as”

My love is like a red, red rose˜ Robert Burn• Metaphor: is an implied comparison, not directly

stated with words such as “like” and “as”In the morning the city spreads it’s wings making

a song in stones that sings. ˜Langston Hughes

• Personification: human qualities are given to an inanimate object, an abstract idea or a force of nature.

The night was creeping on the ground! She crept but did not make a sound.˜ James

Stephens

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SOUND PATTERNS

• Many poems are written to be read aloud, and how they sound is as important as what they mean.

• Sound patterns consist of two elements: rhyme and rhythm.

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Rhythm• Rhythmic patterns are called meters. The

smallest unit of rhythmic pattern is called a foot.

• Nursery rhymes tend to have very predictable rhythms.

• When reading poetry to children, be aware of rhythmic patterns.

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RhymeRhyme is the repetition of similar sounds in two or more words.• End Rhyme: the repetition of the ending sounds in two or

more lines. 1, 2 buckle my shoe. 3,4 shut the door.• Alliteration: the repetition of initial sounds in two or more

words. Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers.• Assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds within words.

Hickory Dickory Dock, the mouse ran up the clock.

• Consonance: the repetition of consonant soundswithin words , often with a variation in adjoining words. A flea and a fly flew up in a flue. Said the flea “let us fly”. Said the fly “let us flee” . So they slew through a flap in the flue.

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FORMS OF POETRY

• Poetry is distinguishable from prose because of its distinct patterns and the way in which the form is written.

• The variety of poems distinguishes one form of poetry from another. There are many different kinds of poems used in classrooms. The most common kind are:

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• Narrative Poems: Narrative poems tell stories. They are easy to understand because they are in story form.

• Ballads are narrative poems adapted for singing or to create a musical effect.

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• Lyric Poems: lyric poetry is melodic or songlike. It is descriptive, focusing on personal moments, feelings or image laden scenes.

Dying (aka “I heard a fly buzz when I died “)byEmily DickinsonI heard a fly buzz when I died;The stillness round my formWas like the stillness in the airBetween the heaves of storm.

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Limericks: are humorous poems that have a set poetry form. It is a five line poem written with one couplet followed by one triplet.

A flea and a fly in a flueWere caught, so what could they do?Said the fly, "Let us flee.""Let us fly," said the flea.So they flew through a flaw in the flue. -Anonymous

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Yesterday I ate  

5 - Yes/ter/day/I/ate

breakfast and grabbed my backpack  

7 - break/fast/and/grabbed/my/back/pack

to hurry to school  

5 - To/hur/ry/to/school

Haiku: has a total of 17 syllables: it includes a line of 5 syllables, a line of 7 syllables and a line of 5 syllables

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• Concrete poems: is written or printed on the page in the shape representing the poem’s subject.

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• Free Verse: relies on rhythm and cadence, but it is mostly unrhymed and the rhythm is not consistent.

Fogby Carl Sandburg

The fog comeson little cat feet.

It sits lookingover harbor and cityon silent haunchesand then moves on.

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For next week:

• ALL ASSIGNMENTS through #4 HAVE TO BE IN!• Begin Assignment #5: Personal Shopper Project: Writing

Assignment #5: due Nov. 4th:• Personal Shopper Project:• Go to your local library and choose a minimum of 5 books from

the different kinds of picture books outlined in Chapter 7 of our textbook. Choose books that you would be willing to give as gifts for a toddler up to the age of 4 using the criteria presented in the chapter to choose the very best books. Write an original annotation for each book. Also include a paragraph for each book with the reasons why you choose it. Practice reading the book aloud and be prepared to read it in class.

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• While you are shopping for your picture books, fill out the hand out about the different TYPES of picture books. Use your text or the powerpoint found of the wikispaces to help you identify the types of books.

• Make you that you have read chapters 7 & 8 of your textbook.