Introduction to Poetry

What is Poetry?
Poetry is a creative use of words which, like all art, is intended
to stir an emotion in the audience.
Like art, it is very difficult to define because it is an expression
of what the poet thinks and feels and may take any form the
poet chooses for this expression. Poetry generally has some
structure that separates it from prose.
The basic unit of poetry is the line. It serves the same function
as the sentence in prose, although most poetry maintains the
use of grammar within the structure of the poem.
Most poems have a structure in which each line contains a set
amount of syllables; this is called meter. Lines are also often
grouped into stanzas.
Stanza
The stanza in poetry is equivalent or equal to the paragraph
in prose. Often the lines in a stanza will have a specific rhyme
scheme.
Rhyme
One of the most beautiful elements found in poetry is rhyme.
Rhyme is the repetition of a final stressed vowel and succeeding
sounds in two or more words.

━━ Hat / Cat
━━ Say / Day
━━ Fire / Desire
When working with rhyme, you should always remember that
the most important part of verse is the last word. The last word
of each verse is what establishes their rhyme.

Twinkle, twinkle little star! a

How I wonder what you are a
Rhyme Scheme
Up above the world so high. b
Like a diamond in the sky b

Rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of

each line. Not all poetry has a rhyme scheme. They are not hard
to identify, but you must look carefully at which words rhyme
and which do not.
 Language of Poetry
A- Imagery
━━ Descriptive language is used to represent objects, feelings
and thoughts.
━━ It often appeals to one or more of the five senses: sight,
touch, hearing, taste and smell.
━━ Imagery is the painting of pictures in the reader’s mind
through the use of language.

B- Figurative language
Figurative language is any language that goes beyond the literal
meaning of words in order to provide new effects or fresh
insights; the ability to notice & understand a lot about people or
situations, into an idea or a subject.
 Figures of Speech
A- Simile

━━ A direct, explicit comparison of one thing to another in which

the words like or as are used.

She looks like an angel.

The poet compared her to an angle to show how
innocent and kind she is.

He’s as brave as a lion.

The poet compared him to a lion to show how
courageous he is.

B- Metaphor

━━ A metaphor compares two or more things by implying that one

thing is another.
━━ They do not use like or as.
━━ Rather than saying that something is like another, a metaphor
says it actually is that thing.
━━ It can create a far more powerful effect than similes, because
they are so definite in their comparison.
 “Her face was a book, he could read her every
thought and emotion.”
The writer tells us that the girl’s face is a book,
when clearly it is not. He develops the metaphor
slightly, by using the word “read”. As you would
read a book, so the man reads the girl’s face.

C- Personification
━━ Giving human characteristics to an animal, object or idea.
━━ It strengthens a description, making it more vivid and
memorable.
━━ As with simile and metaphor, personification works by
making a connection between two things.

“I am busy” said the sea.

The poet personified the sea as a person who
can talk.
 “The house sat proudly on the land, its windows
were eyes watching over its kingdom.”
In this example, the house is personified as a person.
Clearly, a house does not ‘sit’, nor does it feel ‘proud’,
whilst a person does. The image is developed further
as the windows are described as ‘eyes watching’.

D- Hyperbole
Hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration. It might be used to
express strong emotion, make a point or evoke humor.

I nearly died laughing.

 Writing Techniques

A- Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same sounds or of the

same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed
syllables. To find an alliteration, you must look at the repetitions
of the same consonant sound throughout a verse.

Silvery snowflakes fall silently

Softly sheathing all with moonlight
Until sunrise slowly shows
Snow softening swiftly.

Alliteration is used to create internal music.

B- Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds vowels sounds within

non-rhyming words in the same verse.

(Free as a breeze) (High as a kite)

An assonance is used to create internal music.
C- Repetition

Using the same keyword or phrase throughout a poem.

“I’m busy” said the sea,

“I’m busy” think of me,
‘I’m busy’ is repeated to emphasise the meaning and
make it clear.

D- Contrast

Using two opposite words in a stanza.

Up and down and everywhere.

‘up and down’ are opposites to emphasise the meaning
and make it clear.