English 1201
Poetry: Forms and Terms to Know
Directions: Students are to use the supplemental text for English 1201
(Resource Lines 9/10) to complete the items that follow. See Section 1-3
(pp. 47 – 52) of Chapter 1 and Section 2-7 (pp. 123 – 127) of Chapter 2.
1.
In your own words, define poetry. Write down a quick response that you can share
with the class. In addition, you may share your thoughts / feelings / opinions on the topic
of poetry.
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2.
There are a number of different poetic forms a poet may use. Define the following
terms. (p. 48)
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free verse:
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sonnet:
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ballad:
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lyric:
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English 1201
Poetry: Forms and Terms to Know
Other types of poetic forms to know, not defined in Resource Lines, are:
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elegy: a type of literature defined as a song or poem that expresses sorrow or
lamentation, usually for one who has died.
narrative poem: a poem that tells a story. A narrative poem can come in many
forms and styles, both complex and simple, short or long, as long as it tells a story. A
few examples of a narrative poem are epics and ballads.
ode: a kind of poem devoted to the praise of a person, animal, or thing. An ode is
usually written in an elevated style and often expresses deep feeling.
epic poem: a long, narrative poem that is usually about heroic deeds and events
that are significant to the culture of the poet.
3.
There are additional poetic forms listed on p. 125. List any four (4) that are
unfamiliar to you.
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4.
Define the following fifteen (15) terms associated with the study of poetry. (These
are listed in alphabetical order. Their definitions may be found on pp. 48, 49, and 125.)
Please write these definitions in your English exercise OR write them on looseleaf and
attach it to this sheet. You may define them in whichever order you choose.
A. alliteration
B. allusion
C. apostrophe
D. assonance
E. cacophony
F. euphony
G. hyperbole
H. imagery
I. metaphor
J. onomatopoeia
K. personification
L. rhyme
M. rhyme scheme
N. rhythm
O. simile
English 1201
Poetry: Forms and Terms to Know
Other terms to know, not defined in Resource Lines, are:
 consonance: is the repetition of consonant sounds, but not vowels, as in
assonance. It is similar to alliteration except that the repeated sounds can appear
anywhere in the words.
 eulogy: a speech or writing in praise of a person, event or thing. It is also a formal
speech praising someone who has recently died. It is a common speech presented at
funerals.
 euphony: is attempting to group words together harmoniously, so that the
consonants permit an easy and pleasing flow of sound when spoken, as opposed to
cacophony.
 literal meaning: the actual word-for-word meaning of the text. Analyzing the
literal meaning of a poem would need to consider the who, what, when and where.
 refrain: a word/phrase/lines repeated at various intervals within a poem. Often a
refrain occurs in the final line of the stanza. Most popular songs include refrains
(chorus).
 stanza: is a major subdivision in a poem. A stanza of two lines is called a couplet; a
stanza of three lines is called a tercet; a stanza of four lines is called a quatrain.
 symbolism: is a device in literature where an object represents an idea.
5.
Read the section “How to Read Poetry” (pp. 49 - 51) to ensure that you know how
to approach a poem. (A written answer is not required for this question.)