Let's get it right. We all have heard of poetry, and we all have probably written our own piece of poetry. However, that raises a question. What actually goes into our poems to make them sound so pretty? And if they don't sound pretty, how can we make it better?
First things first (I'm the realest), we have to know the definitions of the literary devices that are going to going to up our poetry game.
Alliteration. The repetition of consonant sounds, like repeating the "ch"- at the beginning of every line.
Couplet. A two-line poem, with end rhyme.
Hyperbole. An extreme exaggeration of something.
Imagery. Using vocabulary to create a scene that appeals to many of the senses.
Metaphor. A comparison of something to another without using words like "like" or "as"
Rhyme Scheme. The pattern that the poem rhymes in, with each kind of rhyme labeled as a different letter.
Internal Rhyme. The rhyme that is located within the lines of the poem
End Rhyme. The rhyme that is at the end of the lines and make up the rhyme scheme
Onomatopoeia. A word used to simulate the sound or action occurring
Personification. Giving animate qualities to inanimate objects, mostly used in fairy tales.
Repetition. The use of repeating something to emphasize on it
Rhythm. The way that the words lilt or flow as syllables
Simile. A comparison between two objects using the words "like" or "as".
Stanza. Repeating meters and rhymes relating to paragraphs in prose
Puns. Play on words, or words used in a different context to convey different meanings or ideas
Triplet. A complete thought or idea in a poem made up of three lines, most commonly in either aaa or aba rhyme scheme
Verse. A single line in a stanza or overall piece of poetry.
Assonance. The repetition of vowel sounds in a piece
Haiku. A three-line poetry type created by the Japanese. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables
Ballad. A form of poetry with alternating three and four beats.
Ode. A poem of praise or adoration to a particular person, idea, or thing.
Epic. A long narrative poem used by cultures to tell the story of heroes or heroic events.
Elegy. A song of mourning, especially for the dead, often performed at funerals.
Quatrain. A strictly four-line stanza, with an alternating abab rhyme scheme.
Allusion. A reference to a brand, person, or familiar object outside of the poem's world
First things first (I'm the realest), we have to know the definitions of the literary devices that are going to going to up our poetry game.
Alliteration. The repetition of consonant sounds, like repeating the "ch"- at the beginning of every line.
Couplet. A two-line poem, with end rhyme.
Hyperbole. An extreme exaggeration of something.
Imagery. Using vocabulary to create a scene that appeals to many of the senses.
Metaphor. A comparison of something to another without using words like "like" or "as"
Rhyme Scheme. The pattern that the poem rhymes in, with each kind of rhyme labeled as a different letter.
Internal Rhyme. The rhyme that is located within the lines of the poem
End Rhyme. The rhyme that is at the end of the lines and make up the rhyme scheme
Onomatopoeia. A word used to simulate the sound or action occurring
Personification. Giving animate qualities to inanimate objects, mostly used in fairy tales.
Repetition. The use of repeating something to emphasize on it
Rhythm. The way that the words lilt or flow as syllables
Simile. A comparison between two objects using the words "like" or "as".
Stanza. Repeating meters and rhymes relating to paragraphs in prose
Puns. Play on words, or words used in a different context to convey different meanings or ideas
Triplet. A complete thought or idea in a poem made up of three lines, most commonly in either aaa or aba rhyme scheme
Verse. A single line in a stanza or overall piece of poetry.
Assonance. The repetition of vowel sounds in a piece
Haiku. A three-line poetry type created by the Japanese. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables
Ballad. A form of poetry with alternating three and four beats.
Ode. A poem of praise or adoration to a particular person, idea, or thing.
Epic. A long narrative poem used by cultures to tell the story of heroes or heroic events.
Elegy. A song of mourning, especially for the dead, often performed at funerals.
Quatrain. A strictly four-line stanza, with an alternating abab rhyme scheme.
Allusion. A reference to a brand, person, or familiar object outside of the poem's world
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, Can you see this image? It's an example of imagery.
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. Rapping is an onomatopoeia. Rap! Rap! Rap! came at the door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow This entire green thing is a stanza, like a paragraph of poetry.
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain This is a verse, one single line.
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; - This is repetition; it has repeated the idea for that haunting emphasis
This it is, and nothing more,'
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, This is an example of internal rhyme. Napping and rapping rhyme.
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, This is an example of assonance. Notice the 'a' sound.
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; this line is all alliteration. Notice the repeating d sound.
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!' This is an example of end rhyme. 'Lenore' and 'more' rhyme.
Merely this and nothing more.
Rhyme Scheme: abcddd
What is the rhythm like to you? Can you feel how when you breathe, you breathe in nearly the same place as you did in the first stanza? Can you pinpoint the words of importance just by speaking the poems?
Excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven
A couplet is a very little thing, Look! A couplet about couplets!
Yet give it the right words and it takes wing. This is an example of personification.
By Philip Doolittle
Yet give it the right words and it takes wing. This is an example of personification.
By Philip Doolittle
The rest are more easily explained this way.
I was starving. I could definitely eat all of that Chinese buffet's sweet and sour chicken.
What a hyperbole. Like anybody can eat a Chinese buffet clean out of sweet and sour chicken.
She was a tiger; hungry and passionate in all the same ways.
I'm comparing this girl to a tiger by saying she is one, even though she isn't. However, she's got the traits of a tiger. This is a metaphor.
Let's take all these bad chemistry jokes and barium them.
See, barium is an element, but in this way, it is using the word as a pun to replace the sound of bury.
Their love was warm and true, much like a Zippo alight
But his soul was consumed by something more like fright
And in the next morning he was fast out of sight!
by meee!
Yup, that's a triplet! It's exactly three lines that all rhyme with each other!
Not to mention, there's an allusion in there! Zippo is a lighter brand.
I was starving. I could definitely eat all of that Chinese buffet's sweet and sour chicken.
What a hyperbole. Like anybody can eat a Chinese buffet clean out of sweet and sour chicken.
She was a tiger; hungry and passionate in all the same ways.
I'm comparing this girl to a tiger by saying she is one, even though she isn't. However, she's got the traits of a tiger. This is a metaphor.
Let's take all these bad chemistry jokes and barium them.
See, barium is an element, but in this way, it is using the word as a pun to replace the sound of bury.
Their love was warm and true, much like a Zippo alight
But his soul was consumed by something more like fright
And in the next morning he was fast out of sight!
by meee!
Yup, that's a triplet! It's exactly three lines that all rhyme with each other!
Not to mention, there's an allusion in there! Zippo is a lighter brand.
ELEGY http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/elegy-2/
BALLAD http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ballad-of-the-landlord/ (words used here are of the time it was written)
ODE http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ode-to-a-large-tuna-in-the-market/
EPIC http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/homer/ody/index.htm
QUATRAIN http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers/
(each stanza is actually a quatrain!)
BALLAD http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ballad-of-the-landlord/ (words used here are of the time it was written)
ODE http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ode-to-a-large-tuna-in-the-market/
EPIC http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/homer/ody/index.htm
QUATRAIN http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers/
(each stanza is actually a quatrain!)
LAST PRACTICE
Link up which definition or example goes with each term. 1. Sally sold seashells at the seashore. 2. What a grate pun about cheese she told. 3. a two-line poem that rhymes 4. "I could sleep for a year, I am soo tired!" 5. abba abba abba 6. Flowers were what she wanted, But with roses she was taunted. 7. I was napping, and you came tapping, tapping at my door. 8. She was as beautiful as a naked mole rat in street clothes. 9. He was a beast in the boxing ring, known for literally roaring. 10. It smelled like cookies, but the sight was ghastly. There were socks strewn across the room, and a stench arose under the cookie scent. Oh. The cookies were literally under the socks. 11. a three-line poem with an aaa or aba rhyme scheme 12. one line of a poem 13. BAZINGA! SWOOSH! ZOOP! 14. The lamp began singing to me. 15. similar to a paragraph, but in poetry 16. a poem following the 5-7-5 syllable rule 17. a poem with alternating beats, either three or four in a line 18. A four line poem or stanza 19. the way that the poem reads, including breaks, pauses, and emphasis 20. Alone was Alice her hair alight in the rising flames 21. a poem of praise 22. a long narrative poem dedicated to heroes or heroic events 23. a reference to something that is outside of the poem's realm 24. repeating a phrase or word for emphasis 25. a mourning poem most often read at funerals |
1. alliteration
2. pun 3. couplet 4. hyperbole 5. rhyme scheme 6. end rhyme 7. internal rhyme 8. simile 9. metaphor 10. imagery 11. triplet 12. verse 13. onomatopoeia 14. personification 15. stanza 16. haiku 17. ballad 18. quatrain 19. rhythm 20. assonance 21. ode 22. epic 23. allusion 24. repetition 25. elegy |
the quizzz...
Identify the highlighted or underlined objects of the poetry piece.
THE WISE by COUNTEE CULLEN
Dead men are wisest, for they know
How far the roots of flowers go,
How long a seed must rot to grow.
Dead men alone bear frost and rain
On throbless heart and heatless brain,
And feel no stir of joy or pain.
Dead men alone are satiate;
They sleep and dream and have no weight,
To curb their rest, of love or hate.
Strange, men should flee their company,
Or think me strange who long to be
Wrapped in their cool immunity.
aaa bbb ccc
Green is end rhyme.
Pink is the rhyme scheme.
This mint is repetition.
This fab bronze/ burgundy color is a triplet.
The bright red + the green word together is a verse.
The underlined words represent a stanza.
The yellow is alliteration.
This purple is assonance.
THE WISE by COUNTEE CULLEN
Dead men are wisest, for they know
How far the roots of flowers go,
How long a seed must rot to grow.
Dead men alone bear frost and rain
On throbless heart and heatless brain,
And feel no stir of joy or pain.
Dead men alone are satiate;
They sleep and dream and have no weight,
To curb their rest, of love or hate.
Strange, men should flee their company,
Or think me strange who long to be
Wrapped in their cool immunity.
aaa bbb ccc
Green is end rhyme.
Pink is the rhyme scheme.
This mint is repetition.
This fab bronze/ burgundy color is a triplet.
The bright red + the green word together is a verse.
The underlined words represent a stanza.
The yellow is alliteration.
This purple is assonance.
Now answer the questions.
1. What is repeated over and over again?
2. What sound is in the alliteration?
3. What sound is in the assonance?
4. That are the requirements for a triplet?
5. What is onomatopoeia, and give an example.
6. What is the name of the poem, and who wrote the poem?
1. 'Dead men' is repeated over and over again to remind you that these wise people are dead.
2. The sounds in alliteration for this piece include 'h' and 'ss'.
3. The 'e' vowel is used in the line of assonance.
4. A triplet must be three lines and rhyme together.
5. Onomatopoeia is a word used to simulate the sound the action is making. ZZZzzzzzzzzz.....
6. The name of the poem is The Wise, and the writer is Countee Cullen.
1. What is repeated over and over again?
2. What sound is in the alliteration?
3. What sound is in the assonance?
4. That are the requirements for a triplet?
5. What is onomatopoeia, and give an example.
6. What is the name of the poem, and who wrote the poem?
1. 'Dead men' is repeated over and over again to remind you that these wise people are dead.
2. The sounds in alliteration for this piece include 'h' and 'ss'.
3. The 'e' vowel is used in the line of assonance.
4. A triplet must be three lines and rhyme together.
5. Onomatopoeia is a word used to simulate the sound the action is making. ZZZzzzzzzzzz.....
6. The name of the poem is The Wise, and the writer is Countee Cullen.