Elements of Poetry

A stanza is two or more lines of poetry that together form a unit of the poem.

For example, the poem above has 3 stanzas (they almost look like paragraphs)

• I GOT IT!

• I still don't understand

How many stanzas does the poem "Snow Day" have?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 12

How many stanzas does the poem "The Schoolhouse" have?

• 3

• 5

• 6

• 7

Look at the stanza from the poem "The Climb"

Today, at school,

I drop my milk at lunch,

take a pop quiz,

and argue with my friends.

Does this poem have rhyme scheme (do any of the lines rhyme)?

• No rhyme scheme

• Yes, lines 1 & 3

• Yes, lines 2 & 4

• Yes, lines 1 & 4

Repetition is the use of repeated words or phrases in a poem.

For example: "The rock is very, very far away"

• Okay, GOT IT!

• I still don't understand

Read the poem above called "Falling Up."

Is there repetition? If so, what?

• Yes, Shoelace

• Yes, Tripped

• Yes, Up

• No repetition

Read the poem "Car Sick" above.

Is there repetition? If so, what?

• No repetition

• Yes, still

• Yes, I'm car sick

• Yes, can

Read the following stanza from the poem "Winner."

What I remember most

is my dad behind the rusted screen

back of home plate

"You can hit this guy!"

his voice not letting up

through four fast balls

(two misses swinging late,

two fouls on checked swings)

Is there any repetition? If so what?

• Yes, two

• No repetition

• Yes, remember

• Yes, dad

Read the following stanza from the poem "Genius."

Urgently, I shake her

til she switches on the light.

Is there any repetition? If so, what?

• Yes, light

• Yes, shake

• No repetition

Choose the following line of poetry that contains repetition.

• I loved my friend

• Witch, witch where do you fly?

• Let's throw sticks in the creek all day

• I do not like them in a box