FORMS OF

POETRY F
Jennifer T. Bactong
Presenter
What is Form in Poetry?

• Form, in poetry, can be understood as the physical

structure of the poem: the length of the lines, their
rhythms, their system of rhymes and repetition.

• Another sense of "form" is to refer to these familiar

patterns - these can be simple and open-ended forms,
such as blank verse, or can be a complex system of
rhymes, rhythms and repeated lines within a fixed number
of lines, as a sonnet or villanelle is.
 ABC Poem

• In an ABC poem, each line of the poem

begins with a letter in the alphabet, starting
with A and moving in order through Z.
Example of ABC poem:

Poem About A Friend

Forgives your mistakes
Accepts you as you are Gives unconditionally
Believes in you Helps you
Calls you just to say Hi Invites you over
Doesn't give up on you. Just be with you
Envisions the whole of you Keeps you close at Heart
even the unfinished parts. Loves you for who you are
Makes a difference in your life Understands You
Never Judges Values You.
Offers Support Walks beside you
Picks you up Explains things you don't
Quiets your fears understand
Raises your spirits. Yells when you won't listen
Says nice things about you and
Tells you the truth when you Zaps you back to reality.
need to hear it
 Acrostic
• Acrostic is a form of poetry where the first or last letters of
each line create a name, word, or phrase.

• You can find these words by looking vertically at the

beginning or end of the lines.
Example of Acrostic poem

A Family

F- fiercely loyal to those we love.

A- accepting each for who and what they are.
M- matchless in our hopes and dreams for one another.
I- instilling pride in our hard fought heritage.
L- learning about our past guides us in the future.
Y- you love and cherish the people of your heart.
 Bio Poem
• A bio poem is used to reveal information to the reader
about the poet.

Line 1: First name

Line 2: Who is... (descriptive words that describe you)
Line 3: Who is the brother/sister or son/daughter of...
Line 4: Who loves...(three ideas)
Line 5: Who feels...(three ideas)
Line 6: Who needs...(three ideas)
Line 7: Who gives...(three ideas)
Line 8: Who fears...(three ideas)
Line 9: Who would like to see...(three ideas)
Line 10: Who shares...(three ideas)
Line 11: Who is...(three ideas)
Line 12: Who is a resident of...(your town)
Line 13: Last name
Example of a Bio poem
Tynea
Who is creative, loyal, and
quiet.
Who is the sister of Travis.
Who loves writing, fall, and
a good book.
Who feels excitement,
anticipation, and joy.
Who needs quiet, sleep,
and love.
Who fears crocodiles, losing
loved ones, and knives.
Who would like to see
miracles, more sunrises, and
Ireland.
Who shares laughs, hugs, and
advice.
Who is a writer, mother, and
friend.
Who is a resident of
Pennsylvania.
Lewis
 Cinquain
A cinquain is a 5 line poem that follows a specific format. There
are various types of cinquains. Some are created with a number
of words or syllables in mind. Another form is created using
various parts of speech.
Words:
Line 1- 1 word
Line 2- 2 words
Line 3- 3 words
Line 4- 4 words
Line 5- 1 word
 Example of a cinquain
based on word count:
Words: Sun by Tynea Lewis
Line 1- 1 word
Line 2- 2 words Sun
Line 3- 3 words Bright, large
Line 4- 4 words A faraway star
Line 5- 1 word Gives us light daily
Hot
Syllables: Example:
Morning by Tynea Lewis
Line 1-2 syllables
Line 2- 4 syllables Restless
Line 3- 6 syllables Waiting for light
Line 4- 8 syllables Darkness covers the
Line 5- 2 syllables earth
Until sun crests over the
hill
Morning
 Example:
Parts of Speech: Car by Tynea Lewis

Line 1- noun
Car
Fast, yellow
Line 2- 2 adjectives
Speeding, swerving,
Line 3- 3 -ing words
moving
Line 4- a phrase
Carrying teenagers away
Line 5- another word for the Transportation
noun from line 1
 Concrete

• A concrete poem is written in a way that the words create

the shape of the subject of the poem.
 A View Of A Cat
I I
sleep on
your bed, making
it my own, and
sleep on
and when you are
away, I'm at home your bed, making
all alone. I walk
around the food
bowl, sniffing out it my own, and
what's there, and if
there's nothing good, I
I look at you and stare. I
and when you are
curl up near the fire place
warming up my paws, I away, I'm at home
pounce upon the scratch
post, sharpening my claws.
I see a mouse in front all alone. I walk
staring straight at me, I
run and try to catch it
but it runs away from
around the food
thee. You see I am so
cute, so gorgeous with my bowl, sniffing out
fur, when
you
stroke what's there, and if
my
head
I
there's nothing good, I
close my
eyes I look at you and stare.
and purr.
 You see I am so
I cute, so gorgeous
curl up near the fire with my
place fur, when
warming up my paws, I you
pounce upon the scratch stroke
post, sharpening my my
claws. head
I see a mouse in front I
close my
staring straight at me, I
eyes
run and try to catch it
and purr.
but it runs away from
thee.
 Diamante

• A diamante poem is a 7 line poem that looks like a

diamond. It does not have to rhyme.

• It can be used to describe 1 topic or 2 opposite topics.

Line 1: 1 word (subject/noun) Example:
Line 2: 2 adjectives that describe
line 1 Noise by Divine Tan
Line 3: 3 -ing words that relate to
line 1
Noise
Line 4: 4 nouns (first 2 relate to Loud, Boisterous
line 1, last 2 relate to line 7--if
you're writing about opposite
Deafening, Earsplitting, Piercing
topics) Clamor, Sound ..... Hush, Quiet
Line 5: 3 -ing words that relate to Soothing, Calming, Consoling
line 7 Peace, Tranquility
Line 6: 2 adjectives that describe Silence
line 7
Line 7: 1 word (subject/noun)
 Emotion Poem

• An emotion poem is used to describe various emotions,

good or bad, using descriptive language.

• There are a couple different emotion poem formats to

follow, and you could always come up with your own.
 Anger by Tynea Lewis
Line 1: State the emotion
Anger
Line 2: Describe the Is the color of lava spilling from a
emotion as a color volcano.
Line 3: It happens when... It happens when a vase shatters
Line 4: It sounds like... into slivers on the floor.
Line 5: And smells like... It sounds like a car screeching to
a halt
Line 6: Restate the
And smells like burning toast.
emotion
Anger
 Love by Tynea Lewis

Line 1: State the emotion Love

Line 2: It smells like... It smells like a deep red rose opening
in the sun.
Line 3: It tastes like...
It tastes like delectable chocolate
Line 4: It sounds like... melting in your mouth.
Line 5: It feels like... It sounds like the birds chirping on a
Line 6: It looks like... clear spring morning.
Line 7: (Emotion) is... It feels like a fire on a cold winter's
night.
It looks like an ocean scene painted by
God.
Love is unpredictable and breathtaking.
 Free Verse
• Free verse poems do not follow any rules. Their creation
is completely in the hands of the author.

• Rhyming, syllable count, punctuation, number of lines,

number of stanzas, and line formation can be done
however the author wants in order to convey the idea.

• There is no right or wrong way to create these poems.

Dreaming On Paper But they are just right for
paper.
I don't talk. My thoughts flow on
My lips part and air pushes out, paper.
but the sound must not fit, They are just big enough.
because my thoughts are so big.
So I don't talk;
So I don't try to talk.
I compose,
My thoughts must be too good
for I write,
words, for the air, for my lips. I dream.
 Haiku
This is a form of Japanese poetry that follows a specific
syllable pattern.
It's made up of 3 lines, consisting of 17 syllables in total.
Haikus are usually about a specific part of nature.

Line 1: 5 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Line 3: 5 syllables
 Example of Haiku

Spring

Water runs down stream.

Fish swimming with the current.
Life moving along.
 Limerick
A limerick is a short, humorous poem that follows a
determined rhyme scheme of AABBA.
This five line poem also follows a syllable count.

Line 1: 7-10 syllables

Line 2: 7-10 syllables
Line 3: 5-7 syllables
Line 4: 5-7 syllables
Line 5: 7-10 syllables
Example of a Limerick:

A Wonderful Bird Is The Pelican

A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I'm damned if I see how the helican!
 Narrative
 a narrative poem tells the story of an event in the form of
a poem.
Example: The Man He Killed

Had he and I but met

By some old ancient inn,
We should have set us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!
 But ranged as infantry,
I shot him dead because--
Because he was my foe,
And staring face to face,
Just so: my foe of course
I shot at him as he at me,
he was;
And killed him in his
That's clear enough;
place.
although
He thought he'd 'list,
perhaps, Yes; quaint and curious
war is!
Off-hand like--just as I--
You shoot a fellow down
Was out of work--had sold
his traps--
You'd treat, if met where
any bar is,
No other reason why.
Or help to half a crown.
 Pantoum
A pantoum is a poem that uses a lot of repetition

Take lines 2 and 4 of the first stanza and make them lines 1
and 3 of the second stanza.
Take lines 2 and 4 of the second stanza and make them lines
1 and 3 of the third stanza.
Continue your poem using this pattern.
For your last stanza, go back to the first stanza of the poem.
Make line 3 of the first stanza line 2 of your last. Make line 1
of the first stanza line 4 in your last.
 Her Smile
Her smile was visible to all,
Showing a dark secret
From an inescapable memory
Because of the lie she kept telling
herself.
Showing a dark secret,
The light was dimming
Because of the lie she kept telling
herself.
She tried to push the
pain aside.
The light was dimming
From an inescapable
memory
She tried to push the
pain aside.
Her smile was visible to
all.
 Sonnet
A sonnet is a 14 line poem with a specific rhyme scheme.
Each type of sonnet follows a different rhyming scheme.

English (Shakespearean) Sonnet

14 line poem
3 quatrains (4 line stanzas) followed by 1 couplet (2 line
stanza)
Rhyming scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Examples of English (Shakespearean) Sonnet:

• All We Will Be By Tynea Lewis

• In The Shadow of Your Warm Love
• A Geisha's Tale
All We Will Be By Tynea Lewis
He sits, paying no attention to me.
I wonder what is going through his head.
It hurts knowing friends is all we will be.
His unexpected glace turns my face red.
His mud brown eyes are so piercing and
deep.
Then a smile fills his flawless, tanned face.
If only into his heart I could creep.
The slow motion moment makes my heart
race.
Our time together is a dream come
true
But I fear he can see into my heart.
When I am with him, I don't feel so
blue,
But something new won't be able to
start.
Since nothing will be, onward I must
go.
These feelings I have to hide and
not show.
Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet

14 line poem

1 octave (8 line stanza) followed by 1 sestet (6 line
stanza)
Rhyming scheme of ABBAABBA CDCCDC (or CDECDE)

Example of Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet:

• When I Consider How My Light Is Spent By John Milton

 When I Consider How My Light
Is Spent By John Milton
When I consider how my light is spent That murmur, soon replies, "God
Ere half my days, in this dark world and doth not need
wide, Either man's work or his own gifts;
And that one talent which is death to who best
hide Bear his mild yoke, they serve him
Lodged with me useless, though my soul best. His state
more bent Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding
To serve therewith my Maker, and speed
present And post o'er land and ocean
My true account, lest he returning chide; without rest:
"Doth God exact day-labor, light They also serve who only stand and
denied?" wait.“
I fondly ask; but Patience to prevent
 Spenserian Sonnet

14 line poem

3 quatrains followed by 1 couplet
Rhyming scheme of ABAB BCBC CDCD EE

Example of Spenserian Sonnet:

Edmund Spenser (c. 1552-1599)
Edmund Spenser (c. 1552-
1599)
What guile is this, that those her
golden tresses
She doth attire under a net of gold;
And with sly skill so cunningly them
dresses,
That which is gold or hair, may
scarce be told?
Is it that men's frail eyes, which gaze
too bold,
She may entangle in that golden
snare;
And being caught may craftily enfold
Their weaker hearts, which are not
yet well aware?
Take heed therefore, mine eyes,
how ye do stare
Henceforth too rashly on that
guileful net,
In which if ever ye entrapped are,
Out of her bands ye by no means
shall get.
Folly it were for any being free,
To covet fetters, though they
golden be.
 Tanka
A tanka is another Japanese form of poetry that follows a
syllable format.
This poem is composed of 5 lines.
Lines 1 and 3 have 5 syllables.
Lines 2, 4, and 5 contain 7 syllables each.
Line 1- 5 syllables
Line 2- 7 syllables
Line 3- 5 syllables
Line 4- 7 syllables
Line 5- 7 syllables
Tanka example:

Journey of a Dewdrop By Paul Holmes

One diamond dewdrop

Sparkles in morning sunlight
Then, slowly drips down
A dandelion's green stem
Nourishing its thirsty roots.
 Villanelle
• 5 tercets (3 line stanzas) with ABA rhyme scheme
• Followed by 1 quatrain (4 line stanza) with ABAA rhyme
scheme
• The first and third lines of the tercet are alternately
repeated as the last lines of the remaining stanzas.

The End By Tynea Lewis
No one told me about this pain.
Everything hurts, even my pride.
It's these emotions I am forced to contain.
Tears have fallen from my eyes like a
steady rain.
Nothing can take back those nights I've
cried.
No one told me about this pain.
My feelings I cannot even explain.
To you, my heart was open wide.
Now it's these emotions I have to contain.
I'm at the point where I feel nothing but
shame
Because I thought you were going to be
my guide.
If only I was warned about this pain.
With you is where I wanted to remain.
Now I have to continue on with a long
stride,
But these emotions I am forced to
contain.
Please tell me our relationship was not
in vain.
I hope to not regret having tried.
No one told me about this pain.
It's these emotions I am forced to
contain.
Villanelle Examples:

• The End By Tynea Lewis

• Villanelle By Elizabeth Bishop (1911- 1979) - One Art
• Villanelle By Sylvia Plath (1932- 1963) - Mad Girl's Love
Song
• Villanelle By Dylan Thomas (1914- 1953) - Do Not Go
Gentle Into That Good Night
• Valentine's Day poem in Villanelle Form - He's My Man
•Source:
https://www.familyfriendpoems
.com/poem/article-poetic-
forms
THANK
YOU !