Understanding Poetry: A Flashcard

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What is a couplet?

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A couplet is two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by a rhyme.

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What is a haiku?

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A haiku is a three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count, often focusing on nature.

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What is a rhyme scheme?

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A rhyme scheme is the ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse.

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What is a narrative poem?

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A narrative poem is a form of poetry that tells a story.

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What is a stanza?

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A stanza is a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse.

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What is a sestet?

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A sestet is a six-line stanza or poem.

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What is a tercet?

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A tercet is a three-line stanza or poem.

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What is an ode?

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An ode is a lyrical poem that expresses emotion and is often addressed to a particular subject.

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What is an elegy?

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An elegy is a mournful poem, typically written in remembrance of someone who has died.

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What is free verse?

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Free verse is a type of poetry that does not adhere to a specific meter or rhyme scheme.