English 2, The Structure of a Poem Notes

Form

? is the physical structure of a poem, the length of the lines, rhythm and meter, the system of rhymes and repetitions, etc.

Stanza Structure

? is the arrangement of poem lines into groups, separated by an empty line

Rhythm and Meter

? is the rhythm and sound pattern of a line of poetry

Line Structure

? is when a line of poetry stops and a new line begins

Sound Effects

? is what a poet uses to employ techniques of sound to enhance their poems; affects the mood, tone, and fluency and possibly even the meaning of the poem

Figurative Language

? allows the poet to express his/her thoughts in a deeper, more effective manner; creates vivid images which enhances the meaning of the poem

Couplet

2 line stanza

Tercet

3 line stanza

Quatrain

4 line stanza

Cinquain

5 line stanza

Sestet

6 line stanza

Septet

7 line stanza

Octave

8 line stnaza

Stanza Structure

The ? of a poem is significant because they are often deliberately organized to serve a purpose

Stanza Structure

The? of a poem is significant because they are often deliberately organized to serve a purpose. In a poem they may be used to group ides or images together, indicate a change in tone, idea or focus, or can be used as a pause for thought or to create a bri

Syllable

A ? is a single unit of sound in a word, consisting of a vowel sound without surrounding consonants

Foot

A ? is a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables

Stressed Syllable

When a syllable is emphasized, it is called a ?

Stressed

A/An ? syllable can be described as having a heavy, loud, or strong emphasis on it

Unstressed

A/An ? syllable can be described as having a weak, soft, or quiet emphasis on it

U

? is used in poetry to identify an unstressed syllable

/

? is used in poetry to identify a stressed syllable

Iamb

? is a foot with 2 syllables; an unstressed followed by a stressed (U/)

Trochee

? is a foot with 2 syllables; a stressed followed by an unstressed (/U)

Spondee

? is a foot with 2 syllables; both stressed (//)

Anapest

? is a foot with 3 syllables; two unstressed followed by one stressed (UU/)

Dactyl

? is a foot with 3 syllables; one stressed followed by 2 unstressed (/UU)

Amphibrach

A foot with 3 syllables; one unstressed, followed by a stressed, followed by an unstressed (U/U)

Cretic

A foot with 3 syllables; one stressed, followed by an unstressed, followed by a stressed (/U/)

Meter

? is the number of feet in a line

Monometer

? is a line with 1 foot

Dimeter

? is a line with 2 feet

Trimeter

? is a line with 3 feet

Tetrameter

? is a line with 4 feet

Pentameter

? is a line with 5 feet

Hexameter

? is a line with 6 feet

Heptameter

? s a line with 7 feet

Octameter

? is a line with 8 feet

Rhyme

? is the correspondence of sounds between different words, or the ending of words

Assonance

? is the repetition of vowel sounds

Alliteration

? is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in adjacent or nearby words

Consonance

? is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within words

Onomatopoeia

? is the use of words that create the sounds they describe

Repetition

? is the recurring use of a sound, a word, or a phrase or a line

Metaphor

? is a figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlikely things

Simile

? is a comparison between two unlike things, usually with the words 'like' or 'as'

Personification

? is the giving of human qualities to an animal, object or abstract idea

Hyperbole

? is an exaggerated statement used to emphasize an idea or make a point

Euphemism

? is a 'softer', more inoffensive word or phrase, used as a substitute for one considered too harsh when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

Synecdoche

? is a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, or the whole for a part

Pun

? is a play on words; can be on different meanings of the same word or on the similar sense or sound of different words

Oxymoron

? is when incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side

Anaphora

? is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

Allusion

? is a reference to a well-known person, story or idea (often a biblical or mythological reference); it is left to the reader to make the connection

Acrostic

An ? is a poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word or a message

Ballad

A ? is a narrative poem which tells a story; is an old form of poetry and would have been set to music

Free Verse

? is poetry which does not rhyme or have a regular rhythm

Sonnet

The ? is a famous poetic form, which follows a rigid structure of 14 lines with a strict rhyming pattern

Villanelle

A ? is a pastoral or lyrical poem of 19 lines (5 tercets and a final quatrain) with only 2 rhymes repeated throughout, and some lines repeated

Haiku

The ? is a form of Japanese poetry which consists of only 3 lines with a strict syllable count for each line: 5 syllables in the first line, then 7 in the next and 5 again in the last line

Terza Rima

The ? is a type of poem first used by the Italian poet Dante, and is characterized by its strict rhyming structure. The stanzas are 3 lines long and follow the following the rhyme pattern: aba, bcb, cdc, ded, etc

Ode

An ? is a formal, often ceremonious lyric poem that addresses (and often celebrates) a person, place, thing, or idea. Its stanza forms vary, and originally it would have been sung

Blank Verse

? is poetry which does not contain rhymes, nut in which all lines are typically written in iambic pentameter (10 syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed)

Epic

A/An ? poem s a long, grand narrative poem, which tells the heroic journey of a single person or group of people

Limerick

A ? is a poem that is often silly or whimsical, written in 5 lines. The first 2 lines rhyme with the last line and the third and fourth line rhyme and they are usually shorter

Elegy

A/An ? is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead

End-stopped

? is a punctuation at the end for a brief pause

Enjambment

? is the continuation of a sentence or thought

Medial Caesura

? is a strong pause/stop, typically in the middle of a line