Poetic TermsMs. Freese 8th ELA

Poetry

“Discovering where poems come from is an essential part of the poet’s process” Georgia Heard

A bit of honesty

The best poems are poems that you find and discover.

Reading and Writing Poetry

In order to be able to read and write poetry, you first have to understand what features make poetry a different genre than short stories, novels, plays, and other types of literature.

Poetry has a particular set of terms and forms that make it a unique genre. This week we will be learning about what those terms and forms are.

Symbol

A symbol is something that represents or stands for something else.

Example: An American flag is a symbol for our country, The United States

Animism

Animism-A device that gives humans animal characteristics.

Example: She barked the order to the cook.

Meter

Meter-a rhythmic sound pattern. The pattern is caused by the repetition of a certain number of stressed syllables together with a number of unstressed syllables.

Rhythm

Rhythm-the repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables that gives the poem its beat. Rhythm in a poem is often caused by repetition.

Rhyme

The repetition of accented vowel sounds and all sounds following them in words that are close together in a poem.

End Rhymes

End rhymes-rhymes at the end of lines

Internal rhymes-rhymes within lines

Slant rhymes-rhymes involving sounds that are similar, but not exactly the same.

Onomatopoeia

The use of words whose sounds imitate their meanings.

Example: buzz, rustle, tick tock, tweet and bark

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence over a line break

Example:“There are many types of silencemore radiant than the sun.”

Couplet

Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

Speaker

Speaker-the voice that is talking to us in a poem. The speaker is sometimes, but not always the poet.

Ode

An ode is a poetic form. The word ode comes from the Greek, aeidein, which means to sing or chant. Odes were originally accompanied by music and dance. An ode addresses a person, place or thing that isn’t present.

In your anthology there is an example of an ode written by Pablo Nurda.

I Am

An I am poem is an example of a poetic form.

First stanza:I am (two special qualities about yourself)I wonder (something you are actually curious about)I hear (sounds you enjoy)I see (your favorite sights)I want (something that you want)I am (repeat the first line)

I am

Second Stanza

I imagine (a place or situation other than here)I feel (feelings you are having)I touch (or influence something or someone)I worry (something that makes you sad)I cry (something that makes you sad)I am (repeat first line)

I am

Third stanza

I understand (something you know is true)I say (something you believe in)I dream (something you hope for)I try (something that you make an effort to do)I hope (something you hope for)I am (repeat the first line of the poem)

Anthology Example

There is an example of an “I Am” poem in your anthology. The poem is called “I Am” by Steven Smith

Writing Task One:

Follow the I Am form, and write your own I Am poem. Your poem not only needs to follow the form, but must also include the following poetic forms (at least one end rhyme and a similie).

Pantoum

Free Verse