POETRY
Poetry vs. Prose
◦ Poetry- a form of literature that uses rhythm, rhyme, sound, or
structure to express something in an artistic way.
-words that are organized into lines and stanzas
◦ Prose- literature that is not poetry
◦ Ex. Most essays, short stories, novels, and plays.
-words that are organized into sentences and paragraphs.
Acrostic
◦ Write your name using larger letters going vertically down your page
M
R
S
O
L
I
V
E
R
◦ Motivated
◦ Resourceful
◦ Silly
◦ Optimistic
◦ Loving
◦ Intelligent
◦ Very happy
◦ Enthusiastic
◦ Resilient
Examples…
Examples…
Examples…
Examples…
I am (two special characteristics)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem restated)
I pretend (something you pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you make an effort to do)
I hope (something you actually hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
Rhyme Scheme
◦The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or
song.
◦Matching letters show which lines rhyme
◦ Lines with the same letter all rhyme
with each other.
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCC
Alternate Rhyme
Poems with a Rhyme Scheme
Rhyming words:
◦ Cat
◦ Rain
◦ Best
◦ Bee
Your Turn
◦Write a poem with the rhyme scheme ABAB
◦Write a poem with the rhyme scheme AABBCC
◦Write a poem with the rhyme scheme ABABCC
Verse vs. Stanza
◦Verse- a single line of a poem.
◦Stanza- a grouped set of lines in a poem, set
apart from others with a line of space.
◦The paragraph of poetry.
Who Has Seen the Wind
Christina Rossetti
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you.
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.
*Identify a verse in this
poem. Identify a stanza in
this poem
How Many Syllables are in the Word?
◦ Haiku
◦ Oliver
◦ In
◦ Encyclopedia
◦ Introduction
Haiku
◦ Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry.
◦ Typically, Haikus are written about nature, but they can be about any topic.
◦ Haikus have a very specific syllable structure.
◦ Haikus usually don’t rhyme.
◦Haikus are three lines long
◦The first line of every haiku has 5 syllables, the second
line has 7 syllables, and the last line has 5 syllables.
◦5
◦7
◦5
Here’s a Haiku to Help you Remember…
I am first with five.
Then seven in the middle.
Five again to end.
Haiku
In the wide garden,
I am dizzy with flowers.
I choose a small vase.
More Examples…
◦Beaches
Sand scatters the beach
Waves crash on the sandy shore
Blue water shimmers.
Spring is in the Air
Spring is in the air
Flowers are blooming sky high
Children are laughing.
Punctuation in Haikus…
◦Decided by the poets themselves.
If You Want a Challenge…
◦What am I?
What am I?
◦Green and speckled legs,
Hop on logs and lily pads
Splash in cool water.
What am I?
◦In a pouch I grow,
On a southern continent -Strange creatures I know.
What am I?
◦ What Am I?
Rolling in the mud
Twisted tail the only pink
Squealing with much joy
Pig!
Your Turn to Try!
◦5
◦7
◦5
Try 2-3 of your own Haikus, and then challenge
yourself to a “What am I?” Haiku.
Limerick
◦ A limerick is a silly poem with five lines.
◦ They are often funny or nonsensical.
◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jJgYQcnvo8
◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-rN3DGMCsE
Limericks
◦Meant to tell a funny story
◦ Have 5 lines
◦ Rhyme scheme AABBA
How to Write a Limerick
◦ Line 1 – Identify who the poem is about, and tell where he/she is
from. (8 or 9 syllables)
◦ Line 2 – Describe the person or tell something strange or different
about him/her. (8 or 9 syllables)
◦ Lines 3-4 – Explain what happened as a result of the person’s
strangeness. (5 or 6 syllables)
◦ Line 5 – Finish the limerick with an unexpected or funny conclusion.
(8 or 9 syllables)
◦It’s sometimes easier to write lines 1, 2, and 5 first.
◦Then write lines 3 and 4.
◦Finally, read your limerick to see if you have the right beats.
Rhythm of a Limerick
◦ Da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (8 or 9 syllables)
◦ Da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (8 or 9 syllables)
◦ Da DUM da da DUM (5 or 6 syllables)
◦ Da DUM da da DUM (5 or 6 syllables)
◦ Da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (8 or 9 syllables)
*The rhythm of your poem needs to be close to this.
Another Example
There was a young fellow named Hall
Who fell in the spring in the fall.
‘Twould have been a sad thing
Had he died in the spring,
But he didn’t – he died in the fall.
Your Turn to Try!
Shape poem
Volcano Poem
Theme
◦ A universal message – or big idea – within a piece of poetry.
◦ Something you can take away from the poem and apply to life.
◦ An insight into how the world works or how the author views human life.
◦ Not just one word – like love or loss. Theme is broader – love is dangerous, loss
makes you stronger.
What is the Theme of this Poem?
Forgiveness
Is the mightiest sword
Forgiveness of those you fear
Is the highest reward
When they bruise you with words
When they make you feel small
When it’s hardest to take
You must do nothing at all…
– Jane Eyre.
-Forgiveness sets you free.
-Forgiveness is power.
TONE/MOOD
Mood
Tone
◦ The author's attitude
toward the story and the
readers – what the author
thinks.
◦ Is the effect of the writer's words on the
reader – how the poem makes us feel.
◦ Tone is a particular way of
expressing feelings or
attitudes that will influence
how the reader feels about
the characters, events, and
outcomes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3T
ZGZn5VwA
◦ The feeling or atmosphere created by
the work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eD
2UpdhbwA
Winter
Summer
Brown grass and no leaves.
Summer is so bright.
The winter is depressing.
Blue sky, green grass, and laughter.
When will summer come?
Endless days of fun.
Tone?
Tone?
Serious. Depressing. Pessimistic.
Celebratory. Optimistic.
Mood?
Mood?
Gloomy
Happy. Cheerful. Joyful.
Analysis:
Mood?
Tone?
Vocabulary?
Meaning?
From “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
Analysis:
Mood?
Tone?
Vocabulary?
Meaning?
From “In Flanders Fields” by Lieutenant Colonel
John McCrae
If I Were in Charge of the World Poem
If I were in charge of the world I’d________________________, _________________________, and
___________________________.
If I were in charge of the world there’d be______________________, ________________________, and
________________________.
If I were in charge of the world you wouldn’t_____________________. You wouldn’t
__________________. You wouldn’t_____________________. Or_____________________________.
You wouldn’t even _____________________________.
If I were in charge of the world a_____________________________________________.
All_______________________________________________.
And a person who forgot to______________________, and sometimes forgot to _____________________,
would still be allowed to be in charge of the world.
If I Were in Charge of the World Example