Teaching Poetry

Dr. Prudent Injeeli

What is Poetry?
Poetry is a form of writing that is comprised of lines with a particular meter, rhyme and
rhythm. Each line in poetry is somewhat like a sentence in prose, and each group of
lines in poetry which is called a stanza, is somewhat like a paragraph in prose.
Whereas, prose is an ordinary way of writing, following simple and straightforward
rules of grammatical structure or syntax (S + V + ! etc. , poetry is more constrained
in its structure and format, as it is comprised of "choice words# that denote more than
they appear to. $herefore, a poet makes a rich use of many poetic de%ises and
&gurati%e language to enhance, ela'orate and em'ellish ('eautify! his language.
Poetry has more appealing (uality as compared to prose as it is enriched 'y sound and
melody of the words in addition to the emotional appeal it carries. Poetry does not
necessarily ha%e to ha%e a rhyme 'ut (generally! it is expected to ha%e a rhythm. $he
writing form or the language of poetry is called %erse. Verse is also a term used for
poetry in general. Poetry is said to 'e for the ear while prose is for the eye. Poetry,
truly (uali&es to 'e called, belles letter, ('eautiful words! the )rench term for
literature in general.
Prose: Words in their best order * Poetry: best words in
their best order
STANAS* Stan+as are a series of lines grouped together and separated 'y an empty
line (stanza break! from other stan+as. Stan+as are the e(ui%alent of a paragraph in
prose. ne way to identify a stan+a is to count the num'er of lines. $hus*
cou!let "2 lines # tercet "3 lines # $uatrain "4 lines#
cin$uain "5 lines # se%ain "6 lines# se!tet "7
lines # octa&e "8 lines# sonnet "'( lines #
)*+,* , poem may or may not ha%e a speci&c num'er of lines, rhyme scheme
and-or metrical pattern, 'ut it can still 'e la'eled according to its form or style. $he
-ost co--on ty!es o. !oe-s according to form*
Ty!e Descri!tion / )or-
. 0yric
Poetry
speaker (not necessarily the poet! expresses strong
thoughts and feelings musical in tone, written song/like
style (ode and sonnet#
0 Narrati&e
Poe-
tells a story that may'e a'out cultures, societies or great
heroes1 its structure, resem'les the plot line of a story 2i.e.
the introduction of con3ict and characters, rising action,
climax and the denouement4
5 Descri!ti
&e Poe-
descri'es the world (en%ironment!that surrounds the
speaker, uses ela'orate imagery and ad6ecti%es.
7 *de
has a serious su'6ect, a grand style, a lyric poem of
moderate length and an elegant stan+a pattern.
8 1legy mourns the dead, praising his life and achie%ements, a
lyric poem in form
1.g. a line .ro- an elegy: Earth receive your honored guest ,
Willia !eats is laid to rest
9 Sonnet
a lyric poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal
rhyme schemes
Rhyme scheme: (ABAB BCBC CDCD EE) (:+9! or (9+:!
; 2allad
tells a story of a great historical &gure or a lo%e story of old
times narrati&e in form and has a musical rhythm that can
'e sung
1.g. lines .ro- a 2allad: Prince <esus, =aster of all, to thee , We pray, hell
gain no mastery
$hat we ne%er come anear that place , ,nd , >e men
make no mockery
: 1!ic tells the great deeds of a legendary or historical hero , a
long narrati&e poem in grand style e.g. "aradise #ost 'y
<ohn =ilton
1.g. With loss of Eden, till one greater Man , Restore us, and regain the blissful
Seat
? 3ai4u , <apanese form of poetry, discussing misc. themes , has
an unrhy-ed %erse form with three lines (a tercet!
3ai4u 1.g. ' 3ai4u 1.g. 5 3ai4u 1.g. 6
$h little snail
%lib ount
&u'i,
(ut slo)ly
slo)ly
*rusting the (uddha,
+ bid ,are)ell
to the departing year
Everything + touch
)ith tenderness, alas
pricks like brable
.@ 0i-eric4 %ery structured poem,
usually humorous
composed of &%e lines
.. 2lan4
7erse
un/rhyming %erse in poetry, regular meter 'ut with no end
rhyme
1.g. All is not lost; the unconquerable Will, And study of revenge, immortal
hate,
.0 )ree
7erse
similar to 'lank %erse in that it does not rhyme , 'ut unlike
it is not written in iam'ic pentameter
1.g. '-unning through a .eld o, clover , /top to pick a da0odil
1.g. 5
The .og co-es 8 *n little cat .eet
It sits loo4ing 8 *&er the harbor and city
And then -o&es on
.5 Dra-atic
Poetry
tells a story or descri'es an e%ent in a dramatic and
interesting way. written in %erse and is usually meant to 'e
recited
.7 A29
Poe-
, &%e line poem that creates a mood, picture or feeling.
Aines ./7 are made up of words, phrases or clauses, and
the &rst word of each line is in alpha'etical order.
1%a-!le. A29 Poe-: Among the forest trees
2eneath the mossy green
9olors muted emerald
Decide if they are seen
1nchanted %isions unfold
.8 Na-e
Poe-
Aike ,BC poem, it 'egins each line with e%ery letter of the
name, saying something a'out the person with that name
.9 1!ita!h a memorial inscription on a tom' or mortuary monument
written in praise of a dead person. Dt could ha%e 'een
written 'y the deceased person him-herself 'efore his - her
death or 'y someone else after his - her death.
1!ita!h: 1%a-!le ' : on Shakespeare tom'8 epitaph written 'y
Shakespeare,
1ood ,riends ,or 2esus sake ,orbear to , 3ig the dust enclosed
here
(lest be the an that spares these stones , and curst be he
that oves y bones
1!ita!h: 1%a-!le 5: n <ohn EeatsF tom'*
$his gra%e contains all that was mortal of a young poet who on his
death 'ed in the 'itterness of his heart, at the malicious power of his
enemies desired these words to 'e engra%en on his tom'stone
45ere lies )hose nae )as )rit on )ater6

SOUND PATTERNS:
$hree other elements of poetry are rhy-e sche-e, -eter (i.e. regular rhythm! and
word sounds (like alliteration and assonance!.
'. +3;,1: Ghyme is the repetition of similar sounds. Dn poetry, the most common
kind of rhyme is the end rhy-e. $he pattern of the rhyme is called, the rhye
schee of the stan+a or the poem.
I saw a fairy in the )oods, a
She was dressed all in green. b
She few away, while I just stood, a
And realized, I'd been seen. b
$he rhyme scheme of the poem is* a b a b
5. Internal rhy-e occurs in the middle of a line, as in these lines from Coleridge, HDn
mist or cloud, on mast or shroudH or HWhiles all the night through fog/smoke whiteH
(H$he ,ncient =arinerH!. Gemem'er that most modern poems do not ha%e rhyme.
6. ,eter* the systematic regularity in rhythm1 this systematic rhythm (or sound
pattern!
(. +hyth-: the e(ual rise and fall of sylla'les stress on words in apoem: To be or not
to be8that is the $uestion
*ther )eatures:
'. *no-ato!oeia: words that suggest the sound an o'6ect or a li%ing thing makes.
E.g. 7uacking of ducks, t)ittering of 'irds buzzing of 'ees, tinkling of 'ells,
hissing of snake, )histling of wind etc.
5. Alliteration: repetition of consonant sound in a line of poetry
e.g. $he &air bree+e blew, the white ,oam ,lew
$he ,urrows ,ollowed ,ree
We )ere the &rst that e%er 'urst, on that silent sea
6. Assonance: repetition of %owel sound in a line of poetry
e.g. $he ice was here, the ice was there, the ice was all around
Dt cracked and gro)led, and roared and ho)led
Aike noises in a swound
(. ,usic: $he rhyme and rhythm produced 'y lines especially at the ending
sounds
1.g. ' This is the end 8 ,y dear .riend 1.g. 5 The woods
are green8 dar4 and dee! 8
This is the end 8 The <nal bend but I ha&e
so-e !ro-ises to 4ee!
=. I-agery: $he way a poet creates images and picture in the mind of the reader
through words
When all at once + sa) a cro)d ,
, host of dancing 3a0odils1
8long the #ake, beneath the trees ,
$en thousand dancing in the breeze.
I-agery is a concrete representation of a sense impression, a feeling, or an idea
which appeals to one or more of our senses.
Ty!e Sense
o. >
1%a-!le
. Tactile touch "I as smooth as silk, as soft as %el%et#
0 Aural* hearing , %oice so thrilling neJer was heard,
Dn spring/time from the Cuckoo/'ird,
5 *l.actor
y
smell Hlike smell of the freshly mown grass#
7 7isual sight "Woods are green, dark and deep I#
8 ?ustator
y
taste "Cherries red, so sweet, so ripeI#
9
@inesth
etic
mo%eme
nt
H$ossing their heads in sprightly danceH
7isionary / de ja&u: sense of imagination.
49*hey :ash upon the in)ard eye, )hich is the
bliss o, solitude;6
A. 1-otion: Poetry or lines of a poem expressing deep and strong feelings and
emotions of grief or 6oy, etc. 1.g. 4*ears, idle teas, + kno) not )hat they
ean6
B. 7erse: another word generally referring to poetry 'ut also used to refer to the
language of poetry or the lyrical (uality of poetry. D may also refer to any single line of
poetry
C. +e.rain: , re.rain is a repeated part of a poem, particularly when it comes
either at the end of a stan+a or e%en 'etween two stan+as
D. +e!etition: when word or group of words are repeated in a single line or a
stan+a
E.g. 3ay a,ter day, day a,ter day we stuck no 'reath nor motionI
)I?E+ATI71 / 9*NN*TATI71 D17I91S
.. Si-ile is the rhetorical term used to designate the most elementary form of
resem'lances* most similes are introduced 'y HlikeH or Has.H $hese comparisons
are usually 'etween dissimilar situations or o'6ects that ha%e something in
common, such as, K H=y lo%e is like a
red, red rose.H
K #ike :o)ers that )ither, he is gone fore%er
0. , -eta!hor lea%es out HlikeH or HasH and implies a direct comparison 'etween
o'6ects or situation, e.g. -ichard, the lion heart , this place is heaven ,
their marriage was a nightare
5. Synecdoche is a form of metaphor, which in mentioning an important (and
attached! part signi&es the whole (e.g. HhandsH for la'or!.
7. ,etony-y is similar to synecdoche1 itJs a form of metaphor allowing an o'6ect
closely associated ('ut unattached! with an o'6ect or situation to stand for the
thing itself (e.g. the crown or throne for a king or the 'ench for the 6udicial
system!.
8. , sy-bol/ When o'6ects or actions mean more than the apparent. , sym'ol
is like a simile or metaphor. , rose may represent lo%e, innocence and purity.
3arkness may sym'oli+e mystery or an impending danger and thunder and
lightning may hint at some looming calamity or disaster. Dn the poem
/topping by Woods on a /no)y Eve, "woods# sym'oli+e 'eauty
compounded with mysteriousness1"sleep# represents the ultimate sleep of
death and "promises# sym'oli+e our goal, am'itions and commitments in life
which may'e towards our family, lo%ed ones, towards us or e%en towards Lod.
Woods are green, dark and deep , but + have soe proises to
keep
<iles be,ore + go to sleep , and iles be,ore + go
to sleep
Dn the poem, *he -oad =ot *aken, the road does not stand for an actual road
'ut sym'oli+es the %ital and all/important decisions and the choices one makes
in life.
Sym'ols are used 'oth in poetry and &ction writing. Dn the story, =ecklace, the
necklace turns out to 'e fake1 this sym'oli+es the %anity and arti&ciality of
wealth and high/li%ing.
9. Allegory a series of a'stract ideas and images presented in the form of a story
or a narrati%e. )or example, Leorge rwellJs 8nial &ar is an extended
allegory that represents the Gussian Ge%olution through a fa'le of a farm and its
re'ellious animals.
;. Personi<cation occurs when we treat a'stract ideas, inanimate o'6ects or
nonli%ing things as li%ing or human, 'y or gi%ing them human (ualities, powers,
or feelings (e.g., Hnature weptH or Hthe wind whispered many truths to meH,
Walls ha%e ears!.
:. Irony takes many forms. =ost 'asically, irony is a &gure of speech in which
actual intent is expressed through words that carry the opposite meaning or
connotation.
*7erbal Irony* saying one thing 'ut meaning exactly the opposite, "$his chair is
as comforta'le as sitting on nails.# **&erstate-ent (hyper'ole! D told you
million times*Enderstate-ent (meiosis!H troubled > restive areasF places
marked 'y %iolence and terrorism
D. 9onnotation* $he indirect meaning of a word. She is .o%. )ox, here means,
%ery cunning and cle%er in a %ery negati%e sense.
'G. Denotation* $he commonly known or the dictionary de&nition of a word.
)ox, an animal that looks like a dog
''. Diction*
Word choice and usage (for example, formal %s. informal!, as determined 'y
considerations of audience and purpose. Choice of words, especially takes into
consideration, correctness, clearness, and e0ectiveness; Diction or choice
o. words is what se!arates good writing .ro- bad writing. )irstly8 the word
has to 'e right and accurate. Secondly, words should 'e appropriate to the
context in which they are used. 0astly, the choice of words should 'e such that the
listener or readers understand easily. Besides, proper diction or proper choice of
words is important to get the message across. n the contrary, the wrong choice of
words can easily mislead or confuse listeners or readers which results in
misinterpretation of the message intended to 'e con%eyed. "oetic diction is
marked 'y the use of &gures of speech, rhyming words, onomatopoeic words etc.
'5. +hyth- and ,eter
Ghythm is the pulse or 'eat in a line of poetry, the regular repetition of an accent
or stress. =eter is the measure or a count of the stresses we feel in a poemJs
rhythm. $he unit of poetic meter in English is called a F.oot8F a unit of measure
consisting of stressed and unstressed sylla'les.
'5. Sound "-usic#
Ddenti&es the rhyme, alliteration (repetition of consonants! or assonance
(repetition of %owels! and the use of onomatopoeia words etc. and their o%erall
eMect and tone.
'6. Structure
$he pattern or the organi+ation of a poem. )or example, a sonnet is a .7/line
poem. Because the sonnet is strictly constrained, it is considered a closed or &xed
.or-. ,n o!en or free .or- is a poem in which the author uses a free and easier
form, or perhaps one of his or her own in%ention.
'(. 7ision:
, poet is essentially a %isionary. Simple, ordinary and mundane things and
experiences can ser%e as great themes for poets and writers. , withered 3ower
may suggest the theme of mortality to a poet-writer.
3ow to AnalyHe Poetry (a poem!
a. What is the meaning and signi&cance of the title of the poem and - or what
does it suggestN
'. Ddentify the genre or type of the poem
c. Oetermine the central idea of the poem
d. Gead the poem once silently to yourself slowly.
e. Gead the poem again and &nd the literal meaning of the poem.
f. $ry to &gure out and analy+e the connotati%e , allegorical or sym'olic (the
deeper-'roader! meaning of the poem, i.e., dig deep into the concealed
(hidden! meaning of the poem (if any!
g. Stop and ask yourself, "What is the author trying to sayN
What is his goal for this poemN What kind of a reaction is he trying to
get out of readersN $ry to identify the authorFs purpose on intent for
writing.
h. identify the poetic tools , de%ices including &gurati%e language used in
the poem
What imagery does the author - poet useN Ooes s-he make use of
metaphors, similes, personi&cation, alliteration - assonance, hyper'ole
etc.N
i. ,naly+e the structure and organi+ation of the poem. Pote the stan+a
structure of the poem.
6. Ddentify the speaker and audience.
k. Ddentify the rhyme scheme of the poem
l. Oraw your conclusions. What is the o%erall theme, message or main
thought of the poemN
Para!hrasing a Poe-: When you paraphrase a poemI
(.! Capture e%ery single word in the original without lea%ing out any ideas,
description, or phrasing.
(0! Oo not merely repeat parts of the original using the same words.
(5! Df necessary, re/order the lines slightly to impro%e the ease of
understanding.
(7! Gemem'er, your paraphrase may 'e longer than the original passage.
(8! Paraphrasing helps you understand a diQcult passage - text
(9! Paraphrasing helps you see multiple (possi'le! meanings which you might
ha%e o%erlooked or missed on the &rst reading.
Su--ariHing a Poe-:
When we summari+e a poem, we rewrite it in our own words, reducing it to its key
points, its theme, and the most important information it contains. Dn summari+ing a
text, we make sure that nothing important is left out and nothing unimportant or
insigni&cant is repeated. $he summary must also depict the spirit of the poem.