Poetry Terms Poetry Terms

Meter Meter

a pattern of accented and unaccented a pattern of accented and unaccented syllables in lines of poetrysyllables in lines of poetry

RhythmRhythm

Rhythm is a musical quality produced by Rhythm is a musical quality produced by the repetition of stressed and unstressed the repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables.syllables.

Assonance Assonance

repetition or a pattern of similar VOWEL repetition or a pattern of similar VOWEL soundssounds

Examples: Light fire; mellow wedding bells; Examples: Light fire; mellow wedding bells; crumbling thundercrumbling thunder

ConsonanceConsonance

Consonance is the repetition of the final Consonance is the repetition of the final consonants of accented syllables or important consonants of accented syllables or important words , especially at the ends of wordswords , especially at the ends of words

Example: Example: blankblank and and thinkthink ; ; strongstrong and and stringstring

StanzaStanza

The poetry “paragraphs”The poetry “paragraphs”

RefrainRefrain

A phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated in A phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated in pattern form throughout a song or poem, pattern form throughout a song or poem, especially at the end of each stanza. especially at the end of each stanza.

Remember!Remember!

Poems often contain figurative language, like Poems often contain figurative language, like similes, metaphors, personification, etc…and similes, metaphors, personification, etc…and often SYMBOLS! often SYMBOLS!

Types of Poems Types of Poems Free verse: composed of either rhymed or unrhymed Free verse: composed of either rhymed or unrhymed

lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern. lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern.

Lyric: does not tell a story which portrays characters Lyric: does not tell a story which portrays characters and actions. It addresses the reader directly, and actions. It addresses the reader directly, portraying the poet’s her own feeling, state of mind, portraying the poet’s her own feeling, state of mind, and perceptions.and perceptions.

Ballad: tells a story similar to a folk tale or legend Ballad: tells a story similar to a folk tale or legend and often has a repeated refrain. A ballad is often and often has a repeated refrain. A ballad is often about love and often sung about love and often sung

Types of Poems Types of Poems

Epic: a long narrative poem that tells the story Epic: a long narrative poem that tells the story of a hero’s journey, successes, and failures of a hero’s journey, successes, and failures

Sonnet: a 14 line poem that follows a strict Sonnet: a 14 line poem that follows a strict rhyme scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGGrhyme scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG

Sonnet example: Look familiar??Sonnet example: Look familiar??

Two households, both alike in dignity,Two households, both alike in dignity,In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.From forth the fatal loins of these two foesFrom forth the fatal loins of these two foesA pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;Whole misadventured piteous overthrowsWhole misadventured piteous overthrowsDo with their death bury their parents' strife.Do with their death bury their parents' strife.The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,And the continuance of their parents' rage,And the continuance of their parents' rage,Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;The which if you with patient ears attend,The which if you with patient ears attend,What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.