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Poetic
Techniques
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Line
DEFINITION: basic structural component of a
poem. Literally, a row of words that ends
somewhere.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Stanza
DEFINITION: a formal division of lines in a poem
that is considered as a unit. Separated by spaces.
Like prose paragraphs, only for poetry. Conveys a
single idea.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Types of Stanzas
Couplet
Triplet (tercet)
Quatrain
Quintet (cinquain)
Sestet (sextet)
Septet (heptastich)
Octave
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2-line stanza
3-line stanza
4-line stanza
5-line stanza
6-line stanza
7-line stanza
8-line stanza
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Meter
DEFINITION: the rhythmical pattern of the poem.
Determined by the number of stresses or beats in
each line.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Foot
DEFINITION: a basic unit of a meter. Normally
contains either two or three syllables with varying
patterns of stress.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Types of Meter
monometer
dimeter
trimeter
tetrameter
pentameter
hexameter
heptameter
octometer
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1 foot per line
2 feet per line
3 feet per line
4 feet per line
5 feet per line
6 feet per line
7 feet per line
8 feet per line
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Now practice them aloud…
monometer
dimeter
trimeter
tetrameter
pentameter
hexameter
heptameter
octometer
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mon – ah – meh – ter
dih – meh – ter
trih – meh – ter
teh – tra – meh – ter
pen – ta – meh – ter
hex – a – meh – ter
hept – a – meh – ter
oct – ah – meh – ter
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Types of Feet
iambic
trochaic
anapestic
dactylic
–
–
–
–
unstressed, stressed ˘ /
stressed, unstressed / ˘
unstressed, unstressed, stressed ˘ ˘ /
stressed, unstressed, unstressed / ˘ ˘
˘ /
/ ˘ ˘ ˘ / / ˘ ˘
before listen in a jiff run in a
[iambic]
[trochaic]
[anapestic]
[dactylic]
Shakespearean Sonnet
FOOT
A
B
FOOT FOOT FOOT FOOT
˘
/
˘
/ ˘ / ˘ /
˘ /
1
2
3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Two households, both alike in DIGNITY
˘ / ˘ / ˘
/
˘ / ˘
/
1 2 3 4 5
6
7 8 9
10
(In fair Verona, where we lay our SCENE),
Type of foot =
Type of meter =
iambic
pentameter
Limerick
FOOT
A
A
B
FOOT
FOOT
˘
/ ˘ ˘ / ˘ ˘ /
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
There once was an ape in a zoo
˘
˘
/
˘
˘
/
˘ ˘
/
1
2
3
4
5 6 7 8
9
Who looked out through the bars and saw YOU!
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˘
/
˘ ˘ /
1
2
3 4 5 6
Do you think that it’s fair
Type of foot =
Type of meter =
anapestic
trimeter
by Timothy Steele
FOOT
A
A
FOOT
FOOT FOOT
/
˘
/ ˘
/ ˘ / ˘
1
2 3 4
5 6 7 8
First come I; my name is Jowett.
/
˘
/ ˘
/ ˘ / ˘
1
2 3
4
5 6 7 8
There’s no knowledge but I know it.
Type of foot =
Type of meter =
trochaic
tetrameter
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Types of Rhymes
End/Audible
Visual
Near/Incomplete
Internal
–
–
–
–
words at the ends of lines rhyme
words look like they should rhyme
(see assonance & alliteration)
words inside the line rhyme with
words at the end of the line
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Rhyme Scheme
DEFINITION: a regular pattern of rhyming words
in a poem. Each new rhyme is assigned the next
letter of the alphabet, while repeat sounds get
whatever letter they were first assigned.
What’s the rhyme scheme?
From “Fireflies” by Owl City
You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
Cause they fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude, but I
Would just stand and stare.
A
A
B
C
C
A
C
I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly.
It's hard to say that I'd
Rather stay awake when I'm asleep,
Cause everything is never as it seems.
B
B
A
B
B
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Alliteration
DEFINITION: the repetition of initial consonant
sounds. Writers use alliteration to draw attention to
certain words or ideas, to imitate sounds, and to
create musical effects.
Alliteration
Paul McCann’s
“Dewdrops Dancing Down Daisies”
Don't delay dawns disarming display.
Dusk demands daylight.
Dewdrops dwell delicately
drawing dazzling delight.
Dewdrops dilute daisies domain.
Distinguished debutantes. Diamonds defray delivered
daylights distilled daisy dance.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Assonance
DEFINITION: the effect created when words with
the same vowel sound are used in close proximity,
but where the consonant sounds in these words are
different.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Consonance
DEFINITION: the effect created when words with
the same consonant sound are used in close
proximity, but where the vowel sounds in these
words are different.
Assonance
Cormac McCarthy’s
Outer Dark
And stepping softly with her air of blooded ruin about
the glade in a frail agony of grace she trailed her rags
through dust and ashes, circling the dead fire, the
charred billets and chalk bones, the little calcined
ribcage.
alliteration
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Free Verse
DEFINITION: poetry not written in a regular,
rhythmical pattern, or meter. The poet is free to
write lines of any length or with any number of
stresses, or beats. Free verse is therefore less
constraining than metrical verse, in which every line
must have a certain length and a certain number of
stresses.
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Blank Verse
DEFINITION: Poetry without a rhyme scheme, but
it has meter of some kind.
MARULLUS
Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?
You, sir, what trade are you?
Second Commoner
Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but,
as you would say, a cobbler.
From william shakespeare’s
First Commoner
Why, sir, a carpenter.
Julius caesar
FLAVIUS
Hence! home, you idle creatures get you home:
Is this a holiday? what! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a labouring day without the sign
Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou?
Blank verse
Poetic TECHNIQUES
Refrain
DEFINITION: a regularly repeated line or group of
lines in a poem or a song