Introduction to Poetry

Introduction to Poetry & Poetic Analysis

By Madison Waite

Open Ended

In your own words, what is poetry? How is it different from novels?

Poll

Think about the VALUE poetry has in our society today.  How do you feel about Poetry?

• It is not relevant.  It's an old form of writing, and I can't relate. 

• I know it's important, but I can't understand it. 

• I like the way it sounds and enjoy listening to music, but it's hard to know the meaning. 

• I love poetry.  It is relevant to our lives and, I enjoy figuring out what the poet is saying. 

Draw

Draw boxes around the Stanzas

​Repetition

• ​When a word, phrase, or line is repeated within the poem.

• ​Used when the poet wants to emphasize a specific event, idea, or feeling.

• ​Creates a pattern

• ​Increases the rhythm of the poem

Draw

Put a box around the repeating words and phrases

Fill in the Blanks

Type in the example of repetition from this poem.

​Rhyme

• ​Words that have the same ending sound.

• ​

• There are 2 types of rhyme:

  • end rhyme - rhyming words are found at the end of a line

  • internal rhyme​ - a word within a line rhymes with another word in the same line.

• ​Not all poems have rhyme. These are called "free verse."

​End Rhyme

​Internal Rhyme

Fill in the Blanks

Read the excerpt below.

Then I could place the perfect phrase right in the perfect spot

And let you see a side of me that isn't seen a lot.

The words in red are an example of

rhyme.

(internal or end)

Identify

the rhyme
scheme.

“December Leaves”by Kaye Starbird

The fallen leaves are cornflakes

that fill the lawn’s wide dish.

The night and noon, the wind a spoon

and stirs them with a swish.

The sky’s a silver sifter,

a-sifting white and slow

that gently shakes on crisp brown flakes

the sugar known as snow.

A

B

C

D

Drag and Drop

E

F

Draw

Write the letters below beside the lines to label the rhyme scheme.

Elements of Poetry

Symbolism: Use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities, by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.

Allusion: A brief, intentional reference to a historical, mythic, or literary person, place, event, or movement.

Extended metaphor:

is a metaphor in a literary work, such as a novel or poem, that isn't just used in one line but is extended over multiple lines or throughout the work.

*Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

"Moses let the motor run for a moment. "

Sometimes this alliteration adds meaning by reinforcing a sound.  

Multiple Select

Read these lines from, "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

Select 2 examples of alliteration from this excerpt.

• silken, sad

• thrilled, filled

• uncertain, curtain

• filled, fantastic, felt

Imagery

Poets use imagery or language that appeals to the 5 senses, to help readers visualize what they read. It creates the picture in the reader’s mind.

Sight, Hear, Smell, Taste, and Touch

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of Smell imagery?

• The scent of cinnamon apples wafted through the air.

• Splintered boards scraped my legs, pricking the soft skin.

​Sound in Poetry

​

​Poems are meant to be read aloud.

​

​Poets help to develop meaning

and express feelings

through the use of sound.

​

​

​Sound Devices

​

• Alliteration

• Consonance

• Assonance

• Onomatopoeia

• Rhyme

• ​Repetition

​

the same repeated CONSONANT sound anywhere in words near each other

the same repeated VOWEL sound anywhere in words near each other

Multiple Choice

A powerful monster, living down

In the darkness, growled in pain . . .

• alliteration

• consonance

• assonance

Multiple Choice

. . . growled in pain, impatient

As day after day the music rang . . .

• alliteration

• consonance

• assonance

Multiple Choice

He found them sprawled in sleep, suspecting

Nothing, their dreams undisturbed.

• alliteration

• consonance

• assonance

Multiple Choice

Alliteration are repeated sounds found at the end of words.

• True

• False

Elements of Poetry

Today we will get even more practice with identifying the elements of poetry.

​Poet and Speaker

Remember sometimes the poem won't always tell us who the speaker is. The poet is not always the same as the speaker. You have to look at clues to be able to tell.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

by: Shel Silverstein

Fill in the Blanks

Who is the poet of this poem? (Remember: The poet is the person who wrote the poem, but may not be the speaker in the poem.)

Multiple Choice

Who is the speaker or voice of this poem?

Pay attention to the pronouns.

• The poet

• A character

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of touch imagery?

• Tart cherries puckered my mouth as the sweet crust melted against my tongue.

• Splintered boards scraped my legs, pricking the soft skin.

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of Taste imagery.

• Tart cherries puckered my mouth as the sweet crust melted against my tongue.

• The scent of cinnamon apples wafted through the air.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is an example of Personification?

• I’ve told you a million times to stop talking.

• The wind danced through the meadow.

• My brain is a cluttered garage

• My brain is like a cluttered garage.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is an example of a Simile?

• The mail-man run as fast a cheetah from the dog.

• I’m so hungry I could eat a horse

• My friend’s unkind words punched me in the gut.

• Samantha is such a couch potato .

Multiple Select

What is Poetry ?- Click the 3 choices that apply in the blanks.

Poetry is a form of writing that uses only words, but also pattern of ________,________, and ________ ________ to convey the message.

• Sounda

• Literal meaning

• Imagery

• Figurative language

Multiple Select

Read the following lines from "The Cold Wind Blows"

Who knows why the cold wind blows,

or where it goes, or what it knows

Select three words from this poem that have the same vowel sound.

• who

• knows

• blows

• goes

• or

Multiple Select

Select words below that are examples of onomatopoeia.

• squeal

• drip

• splish

• splash

• rain

Multiple Choice

How many stanzas are in this poem?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Long-Leg Lou & Short-Leg Sue

Shel Silverstein

Open Ended

In "Long-Leg Lou & Short-Leg Sue" how do you think the author wanted you to feel at the end?

Poll

Do you think Long-Leg Lou got what he deserved?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

What might the theme of this poem be?

Remember that theme is the lesson taught in the story and can be applied to many more situations.

• Don't be like Long-Leg Lou

• You never know what you have until its gone

• Don't be mean to short people

Match

Match the following terms to the correct definition.

• Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects, ideas, or animals.

• Repetition of beginning consonant sounds in words that are close together.

• Outrageous exaggeration made to emphasize a point.

• A word that imitates the sound it represents.

• A phrase made up of words containing opposite meanings.

Personification

Alliteration

Hyperbole

Onomatopoeia

Oxymoron

• Personification

• Alliteration

• Hyperbole

• Onomatopoeia

• Oxymoron