BASIC ELEMENTS OF POETRY

2. WHAT IS POETRY? Poetry can be defined as literature in a metrical form or a composition forming rhythmic lines. a poem is something that follows a particular flow of rhythm and meter.

3. Compared to prose, where there is no such restriction, and the content of the piece flows according to story, a poem may or may not have a story, but definitely has a structured method of writing.

4. ELEMENTS OF POETRYRhythm: This is the music made by the statements of the poem, which includes the syllables in the lines. The best method of understanding this is to read the poem aloud, and understand the stressed and unstressed syllables.

5. ELEMENTS OF POETRYMeter: This is the basic structural make-up of the poem. Do the syllables match with each other? Every line in the poem must adhere to this structure. A poem is made up of blocks of lines, which convey a single strand of thought. Within those blocks, a structure of syllables which follow the rhythm has to be included. This is the meter or the metrical form of poetry.

6. ELEMENTS OF POETRY Stanza: Stanza in poetry is defined as a smaller unit or group of lines or a paragraph in a poem. A particular stanza has a specific meter, rhyme scheme, etc. Based on the number of lines, stanzas are named as couplet (2 lines), Tercet (3 lines), Quatrain (4 lines), Cinquain (5 lines), Sestet (6 lines), Septet (7 lines), Octave (8 lines).

7. ELEMENTS OF POETRY Rhyme: A poem may or may not have a rhyme. When you write poetry that has rhyme, it means that the last words or sounds of the lines match with each other in some form. Rhyme is basically similar sounding words like cat and hat, close and shows, house and mouse, etc. Free verse poetry, though, does not follow this system.

8. ELEMENTS OF POETRY Rhyme Scheme: As a continuation of rhyme, the rhyme scheme is also one of the basic elements of poetry. In simple words, it is defined as the pattern of rhyme. Either the last words of the first and second lines rhyme with each other, or the first and the third, second and the fourth and so on. It is denoted by alphabets like aabb (1st line rhyming with 2nd, 3rd with 4th); abab (1st with 3rd, 2nd with 4th); abba (1st with 4th, 2nd with 3rd), etc.

9. ELEMENTS OF POETRY Theme: This is what the poem is all about. The theme of the poem is the central idea that the poet wants to convey. It can be a story, or a thought, or a description of something or someone; anything that the poem is about.

10. ELEMENTS OF POETRY Symbolism: Often poems will convey ideas and thoughts using symbols. A symbol can stand for many things at one time and leads the reader out of a systematic and structured method of looking at things. Often a symbol used in the poem will be used to create such an effect.

11. ELEMENTS OF POETRY Imagery: Imagery is also one of the important elements of a poem. This device is used by the poet for readers to create an image in their imagination. Imagery appeals to all the five senses. For e.g., when the poet describes, the flower is bright red, an image of a red flower is immediately created in the readers mind.

Hearing a poem read aloud reveals its rhythmic, melodic, and alliterative qualities, which can help you discover whether or not poetry is, ultimately, the music of language. As you reacquaint yourself with the emotions kindled by being read to by a parent, teacher, or lover, you may even discover for yourself the relationship between poetry and song.

Often, hearing an author read their own work can clarify questions surrounding their work’s tone; some poets are grave, some are antic, some are even more mysterious than you imagined. Many poets offer explanations and anecdotes surrounding their poems, so to hear a whole reading is often as enlightening as taking a course in a poet’s work. Recorded archives of poets reading their own work allow later generations to have this experience with great poets that are no longer with us—an important act of preservation that maintains this unique relationship between the visual identity of a poem on the page and the sonic identity of a poem read aloud by its author.

Whether you have heard poets read live or on the radio, or whether

you've never heard a poet read, these tips are meant as a starting

point to help you find your own way to enjoy what the Archive has to

offer.

• Tip 1

Listening to poetry requires concentration in the same way that

reading does, so finding somewhere quiet is preferable. The majority

of the Archive's recordings were made in a recording studio so they

have a more intimate character than a public reading: this sense of

connection between poet and listener will be enhanced in a peaceful,

comfortable environment.

• Tip 2

It might be helpful to listen to a poem first before following the text so

that you can focus on the quality of the poet's voice - its unique tone,

accent and rhythm. Closing your eyes might help this process.

• Tip 3

Don't worry about understanding everything the first time you hear a

poem; listening to poetry is more rewarding if you're relaxed, allowing

the poet's voice and words into your mind, rather than worrying about

a poem's meaning. You can always play the recording again!

• Tip 4

If you enjoyed a particular poem, you might like to read the text as

you listen to the poet's interpretation a second time.

Reading poetry aloud can deepen your understanding and engagement with the text, help improve your literary and language, as well as your speaking and listening skills.

Reading aloud can help your appreciation of poetry and improve your speaking voice. After a few chapters of reading aloud, your awkwardness will disappear.

As with any art form, if you practice it, you will get better.

Almost all poetry was created to be spoken out loud, and good poets know that poety starts in the mouth.

Poetry Reading Strategies

Preview the poem by reading the title and paying attention to the poem’s

form: shape on the page, stanzas, number of lines and ending punctuation.

Read poem aloud several times to hear rhyme, rhythm, and the overall

sound of the poem. This makes it easier to understand the poem.

Visualize the images by paying close attention to strong verbs, and

comparisons in poem. Do the images remind you of anything? Let the

comparisons paint a picture in your head.

Clarify words and phrases by allowing yourself to find the meaning of

words or phrases that stand out, are repeated, or you do not understand

the meaning. Use dictionary, context clues, teacher or peer.

Evaluate the poem’s theme by asking what message is the poet trying to

send or help you understand? Does it relate to your life in any way?