Reading Literature:Reading Literature:Lesson 6—Poetry Lesson 6—Poetry

ElementsElementsExpressive/LiteraryExpressive/Literary

Competency Goal 5.02Competency Goal 5.02

EOG Vocabulary (Poetry)Notice that some terms overlap with

Narrative Elements!!• Alliteration• Analogy• Assonance• Consonance• End rhyme• Figurative language• Hyperbole • Image • Line • Metaphor

• Onomatopoeia • Personification• Rhyme• Rhyme scheme• Rhythm• Simile • Speaker• Stanza• Structure• Symbol

Tip #1:• A poem is something to swim in,

not just a place to get your feet wet. – The more you read a poem, the more you

will understand it (and maybe even enjoy it!)

– How many times have you listened to your favorite song? Remember lyrics are poetic!

Tip #2:• Get a first impression, but don’t

cling to it.1. Read the poem from beginning to

the end.2. Don’t get hung up on little details

OR a phrase/line that you don’t understand.

Tip #2 continued . . .• Ask yourself the following:

– What is the poem about?– Who is the speaker?– What is the tone?– What is the mood?

Read “Kidnap Poem”by Nikki Giovanni

• A volunteer should read it aloud.– After reading, answer the multiple

choice questions in your notes.– We’ll discuss these.

Tip #3:• Notice how often the poet “paints

a picture” with words.– Poems are filled with imagery (things

that appeal to your five senses: taste, touch, hear, smell, and see).

– Underline images as you come across them in a poem.

Tip #4:• Enjoy the “music” of a poem.

– Notice if a poem rhymes.– If so, what is the rhyme scheme?– Is there end rhyme, approximate

rhyme, internal rhyme?

Copy the following limerick in your notes. Identify the

rhyme scheme.A mouse in her room woke Miss DoudWho was frightened and screamed very

loud.Then a happy thought hit herTo scare off the critterShe just sat up in bed and meowed.

Sound effects of poetry:

• Alliteration: the repeating of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words.– Ex. Klein could be clueless, kind or

cold, curmudgeonly or compassionate—all in the same day; you never knew which Klein you would get.

Assonance:• The repetition of vowel sounds

within words or syllables.– Ex. Through the moon was a radiant

bloom in the speckled vase of night, Carrie couldn’t shake her gloom, try as she might.

Consonance:• The repetition of two or more

consonants with different vowel sounds in between.– Ex. Rick stuck the rock in his pocket.

Onomatopoeia:• The use of words that imitate a

sound.– Ex. Smack, moo, clank, buzz, . . .

Tip #5: • Look for comparisons that the poet

is making.– Poets do this through their use of

figurative language: similes, metaphors, personifications, hyperboles, and idioms.

Definitions and Examples:

• Simile: statement that compares two things using like or as.– Ex. Life is like a box of chocolates;

you’re never sure what your gonna get.

• Metaphor: statement that compares two things by saying that one thing is another. Ex. Music is Joel’s lifeblood; he must have a daily infusion of rock, pop, rap, and jazz.

• Hyperbole: an exaggeration. Ex. As the Tilt-a-Whirl at the NC State Fair started spinning, Jack held on tighter than a tick on a dog’s ear.

• Personification: a statement that gives human qualities to a non-human thing. Ex. Toby knew he couldn’t put off his homework much longer. His algebra book seemed to stare at him, whisper to him, call out his name.

• Idiom: an everyday, over-used expression that has no literal/real meaning. Ex. It’s raining cats and dogs.

Tip #6:• Notice the structure of the poem.

– Poems are divided into lines (will be numbered every 5 lines on the EOG)

– Take note of how many stanzas there are.

– Poets will place line breaks and stanzas in unusual places to get your attention or to create a certain effect.

Tip #7:• Notice anything the poet does that

is unusual.– Notice unusual word choices, line

breaks, stanza breaks, indented lines, and weird capitalization.

Tip #8:• Put it all together.

– After reading several times, ask yourself: What is the message that the poet/speaker is trying to get across?

– Does the poet simply want to share an experience with you?

Types of Poetry!!• Light verse: funny or playful poetry• Narrative Poetry: poetry that tells a

story• Ballad: a traditional song that tells a

story, often about love, tragedy, or heroic deeds

• Epic: a long narrative poem that tells of the deeds of a legendary hero of history or tradition.

• Elegy: a poem of sorrow

Types of poetry continued . . .

• Lyric poetry: poetry that is short and musical and that deals with personal issues

• Haiku: a form of Japanese pattern poetry, usually consisting of three lines in which the syllables alternate in a pattern of 5-7-5

• Sonnet: a poem of 14 lines, usually with 10 syllables each (iambic pentameter) and with various rhyme schemes.

• Free verse: poetry that is free from fixed patterns of rhyme or beat

REMEMBER:• A poem can have many different

interpretations.• You don’t have to understand

EVERYTHING in a poem in order to enjoy it or to answer questions about it.

Practice:• Read “Mayflies” on page 86 in the

BuckleDown book.• Answer questions 12-13.