Intro to Poetry

Intro to Poetry

Basic components of a poem

• Line

• Stanza

• Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme

Line

A line is one row of words in a poem. Sometimes, one sentence may be split onto multiple rows, but it is not one line.

*"Trampoline" by Shel Silverstein

Stanza

A stanza is a group of lines in a poem that forms the structure of the poem (verse).

*"Trampoline" by Shel Silverstein

Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme

• Rhyme is when two or more words end in sounds that are similar to one another. Ex: Car, star, far

• A Rhyme Scheme is the order or pattern of rhyme. Some rhyme schemes are ABAB and AABB.

Multiple Choice

How many stanzas does this poem have?

Archery

It’s like touching without touching,

except when there is, also, touching.

We pull the bowstrings back

and parallel together,

aiming a handsbreadth higher

than we believe we intend,

and let the glove move where we draw the wire,

scared that the machinery

will misinterpret us,

that we may not stop trembling, that we may lose

our belief in ourselves

before anything is released, or shared, or sent.

(Courtesy of https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5e602cd0ee1845001b4a24b7)

• 5

• 2

• 4

• 3

Open Ended

How many lines are in stanza 2 (two)?

Archery

It’s like touching without touching,

except when there is, also, touching.

We pull the bowstrings back

and parallel together,

aiming a handsbreadth higher

than we believe we intend,

and let the glove move where we draw the wire,

scared that the machinery

will misinterpret us,

that we may not stop trembling, that we may lose

our belief in ourselves

before anything is released, or shared, or sent.

(Courtesy of https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5e602cd0ee1845001b4a24b7)

Multiple Choice

What is the Rhyme Scheme of this stanza?

Excerpt from Snow Day by Barbara Vance:

In the winter it's every kid's dream,

As snowflakes begin to appear,

That suddenly there'll be a blizzard,

And they'll cancel school for a year.

• AABB

• ABAB