Download Types of Poetry

Poetry Notes
Line: the poem is broken into lines; where it breaks or ends on the page
Stanza: groups of lines; looks like paragraphs in poetry
Speaker: the voice that “talks” to the reader in the poem
Form: structure of the writing of a poem; the way the words are arranged on the page
Traditional: follows fixed rules; regular patter of rhyme
Example: epic, ode, ballad, haiku, sonnet
Organic: does not follow rules; does not have regular pattern of rhyme; unconventional spelling,
punctuation, grammar
Example: free verse, concrete poetry
Free Verse: does not follow regular pattern of rhythm and rhyme; the ideas decide where the line breaks
Rhyme: repetition of sounds at the ends of words
Internal Rhyme: rhyme that is within the lines of the poetry
End Rhyme: rhyme that is at the ends of the lines of poetry
True Rhyme: the last syllable of each word has identical sounds
Rhyme Scheme: the pattern that the end-rhyming words follow (ABBA)
Rhythm: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line
Meter: a regular pattern of rhythm
Repetition: the use of a word, phrase, line, or sound more than once
Alliteration: repetition of the same first letter or sound in a series of words
Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds within words
Consonance: repetition of consonant sound within words
Anaphora: repetition of a word at the beginning of a line
Onomatopoeia: the word describes the sound of an object or action (SNAP!)
Imagery: images or word pictures that the poem creates; language that appeals to your senses
Simile: describing two unlike things using like or as
Metaphor: describing two unlike things WITHOUT using like or as
Extended Metaphor: a comparison of two unlike things through several lines/stanzas/entire poems
Personification: giving human qualities to an animal or object
Symbol: the representation of something complex or abstract – the flag symbolizes freedom
Hyperbole: exaggeration
Idiom: a common phrase or figure of speech not to be taken literally (raining cats and dogs)
Types of Poetry
Lyric: brief poems where the speakers share personal thoughts and feelings on a subject
Elegy: lyric poem; speaker meditates about death in tribute to one who has died (serious/formal)
Concrete: the poet uses visible shape to create a picture related to the poem’s subject out of the words
Ode: highly praises something (person/event/idea); serious/traditional
Personification: a poem lending human qualities to an object, animal, or idea
Ballad: narrative poem that is meant to be sung/recited; focuses on a tragic event; includes rhyme, dialogue,
setting, plot, and characters
Couplet: rhyming pairs of lines of equal length
Dramatic Monologue: the speaker addresses a silent or absent audience; having a conversation
Sonnet: lyric poem of 14 lines and regular patterns of rhyme/rhythm
Epic: long narrative poem about the life of a hero whose actions reflect the values of people
Tercet: 3 lines of poetry
Quatrain: 4 lines of poetry
Sestina: highly structured; 6 stanzas of 6 lines, followed by a tercet – total of 39 lines
Villanelle: 19 lines long with 5 tercets and 1 quatrain
Haiku: 17 syllable Japanese poems; 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables
Limerick: witty or humorous poetry; 5 line anapestic meter
Found: taking words/phrases from somewhere else and rewording them into poetry
Diamante: 7 line poem in the shape of a diamond
Acrostic: the first letter of each line of the poem spells out a word