Elements of Poetry
Types of Poetry
What is poetry?
Poetry can be defined as 'literature in a metrical
form' or 'a composition forming rhythmic lines'.
A poem is something that follows a particular flow
of rhythm and meter.
What is poetry?
A poem may or may not have a story, but definitely
has a structured method of writing.
Elements of Poetry
Elements of poetry
Rhythm
This is the music made by the statements of the
poem, which includes the syllables in the lines. The
best method of understanding this is to read the
poem aloud, and understand the stressed and
unstressed syllables.
Elements of poetry
Meter
In simple language, meter is a poetic device that
serves as a linguistic sound pattern for the
verses, as it gives poetry a rhythmical and
melodious sound.
For instance, if you read a poem loudly, and it
produces regular sound patterns, then this
poem would be a metered or measured poem.
Elements of poetry
Stanza
Stanza in poetry is defined as a smaller unit or group
of lines or a paragraph in a poem.
A particular stanza has a specific meter, rhyme
scheme, etc. Based on the number of lines, stanzas
are named as couplet (2 lines), Tercet (3 lines),
Quatrain (4 lines), Cinquain (5 lines), Sestet (6 lines),
Septet (7 lines), Octave (8 lines).
Elements of poetry
Rhyme
A poem may or may not have a rhyme. When you
write poetry that has rhyme, it means that the last
words or sounds of the lines match with each
other in some form.
Free verse poetry, though, does not follow this
system.
Elements of poetry
Rhyme Scheme
As a continuation of rhyme, the rhyme scheme is
also one of the basic elements of poetry. In simple
words, it is defined as the pattern of rhyme.
Either the last words of the first and second lines
rhyme with each other, or the first and the third,
second and the fourth and so on.
Elements of poetry
Rhyme Scheme
It is denoted by alphabets like aabb (1st line rhyming
with 2nd, 3rd with 4th); abab (1st with 3rd, 2nd with
4th); abba (1st with 4th, 2nd with 3rd), etc.
Elements of poetry
Theme
This is what the poem is all about. The theme of the
poem is the central idea that the poet wants to
convey. It can be a story, or a thought, or a
description of something or someone; anything that
the poem is about.
Elements of poetry
Symbolism
Often poems will convey ideas and thoughts using
symbols.
A symbol can stand for many things at one time and
leads the reader out of a systematic and structured
method of looking at things. Often a symbol used in
the poem will be used to create such an effect.
Elements of poetry
Imagery
Imagery is also one of the important elements of a
poem. This device is used by the poet for readers to
create an image in their imagination.
Imagery appeals to all the five senses. For e.g.,
when the poet describes, 'the flower is bright red', an
image of a red flower is immediately created in the
reader's mind.
Types of Poetry
Types of Poetry :
Sonnet
The word sonnet is derived from the Italian
word “sonetto”. It means a small or little song or
lyric.
A sonnet has 14 fourteen lines, each line has 10
syllables.
Types of Poetry :
Limerick
A five-line witty poem with a distinctive rhythm.
The first, second and fifth lines, the longer lines,
rhyme. The third and fourth shorter lines rhyme.
(A-A-B-B-A).
Example :
There was a young girl on a tower
Who looked just as fresh as a flower
Her hair was like silk
Her skin as smooth as milk
But her breath made the strongest knight cower
- Anonymous
Types of Poetry :
Haiku
This ancient form of poem writing is renowned
for its small size as well as the precise
punctuation and syllables needed on its three
lines. It is of ancient Asian origin.
Haiku's are composed of 3 lines, each a
phrase. The first line typically has 5 syllables,
second line has 7 and the 3rd and last line
repeats another 5. In addition there is a
seasonal reference included.
Types of Poetry :
Haiku
Types of Poetry :
Narrative
A narrative poem tells the story of an event in
the form of a poem. There is a strong sense of
narration, characters, and plot.
Annabel Lee (Exerpt)
BY EDGAR ALLAN POE
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
Types of Poetry :
Narrative
A narrative poem tells the story of an event in
the form of a poem. There is a strong sense of
narration, characters, and plot.
Annabel Lee (Exerpt)
BY EDGAR ALLAN POE
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
Types of Poetry :
Epic
A lengthy narrative poem in grand language
celebrating the adventures and
accomplishments of a legendary or
conventional hero.
Ex.
The Mahabharata (350 BCE)
The Homeric Poems – The Odyssey (~800 BCE)
The Homeric Poems – The Iliad (~800 BCE)
Types of Poetry :
Couplet
Two lines of verse which rhyme and form a unit
alone or as part of a poem.
1. She was a little tense
The notice made no sense
2. I saw a little hermit crab
His coloring was oh so drab
3. It’s hard to see the butterfly
Because he flies across the sky
Types of Poetry :
Free Verse
A Free Verse Poem does not follow any rules.
Their creation is completely in the hands of the
author. Rhyming, syllable count, punctuation,
number of lines, number of stanzas, and line
formation can be done however the author wants
in order to convey the idea.
There is no right or wrong way to create a Free
Verse poem.
