Poetry Study

• The poetry meter is a pattern of beats (stressed and unstressed syllables) in a line of poetry.
• Syllables are the beats in a word.
• Free verse is a type of poetry that does not have a specific rhyme scheme or rythm.
• The Blank Verse is a form which strictly follows a specific meter, almost iambic pentameter, but it does not follow a rhyme scheme.
• A narrative poem is a type of poetry that tells a story.
• A narrative poem can be long and short, may follow various structures and formats and can capture the reader's imagination and take them on a journey.
• A ballad is a narrative poem that tells a story and is often set to music.
• A ballad has a rythmic and melodic quality.
• Ballads are usually written in quatrains, which are stanzas consisting of four lines.
• Ballads often have a simple and repetitive structure.
• A lyric poem expresses thoughts and feelings of the poet and can explore a wide range of emotions.
• Lyric poems are highly personal and can provide insight into the poet's inner world.
• A lyric poem is often short.
• A haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry.
• Haikus typically consist of three unrhymed lines with syllable counts of 5-7-5.
• The theme or subject matter of a haiku is nature.
• The American cinquain consists of five lines.
• The American cinquain consists of syllables: 2-4-6-8-2
• The Didactic cinquain is a simplification of the American cinquain.
• The first line of a Didactic Cinquain is a single word that is a noun. The second line of a Didactic Cinquain are two words that are adjectives. The third line of a Didactic Cinquain are three verbs (or an action). The fourth line are four words which are an description. The fifth line is a single word which is a noun.
• Limericks are humorous and sometimes nonsensical. This form is popular in children's literature due to its easy-to-follow rhythm.
• The epic is a long narrative poem that tells the story of a hero's journey. It often includes elements of mythology and folklore. Epics are known for their adventurous and heroic themes. They are written in a formal, elevated style.
• The Elegy is a poem that mourns or reflects upon a person's death. It expresses feelings of grief, loss and remembrance.
• Elegies can be deeply emotional and often have a melancholic tone. They pay tribute to the deceased and explore themes of mortality and transcience.
• Limericks consist of five lines and follow an AABBA rhyme scheme.
• A rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhyme.
• A sonnet consists of 14 lines. Its meter is iambic pentameter. Many sonnets have a regular rhyme scheme.
• The form is the appearance of words on the page.
• A line is a group of words together on one single line of the poem.
• A stanza is a group of lines arranged together.