Different Types of Poetry

Couplet Poetry

A couplet poem is a 2 line verse that rhyme.

A Poem can be made up of couplets throughout the whole poem.

Examples of Couplets

1. Twinkle Twinkle little starHow I wonder what you are2. The bird sang in the treeIt sang tooroo, tooree3. My Country tis of theeSweet land of liberty

Quatrain Poems

Quatrains are four line poems that may follow any of one of the four different rhyme schemes. (ABAB, AABB, ABBA, ABCA)

When Quatrains begin to make up a long poem the quatrains are then called stanzas.

Example of a Quatrain

The rushing ocean wavesBeat harshly on the sand.They roar and crash and foamAs they break upon the land.

The Sonnet

The word sonnet means “a little sound or song”. A sonnet is a highly-structured 14 line poem that

explores deeply felt issues such as the fleeting nature of love and the aching questions of mortality.

A traditional sonnet has 14 lines, each of which is written in iambic pentameter. That is each line has 5 metric units or feet, and

each foot consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

The Sonnet

Sonnets have a set rhyme scheme based on the last words in each line. Lines that end in the same sound should be

assigned the same letter.

How to Read a Sonnet

1. Read a sonnet 3 times2. First read it silently for content3. Second read it aloud to hear the meter and

rhyme scheme4. Third read it to discover the “puzzle” of the

poem- the problem the poet is trying solve or the issue the poet is trying to explore. The look for the “turns” where the poet shifts focus and begins to explore solutions

Ballad

A poem that tells a story similar to a folk tale or legend which often has a repeated refrain.

Blank Verse

Blank Verse is Poetry that is written in unrhymed iambic pentameter.

Example of Blank Verse Excerpt from Macbeth by William Shakespeare Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

Haiku

A haiku is a simple poem typically about nature or scenery.

A haiku has three lines and 17 syllables

Line 1: 5 syllablesLine 2: 7 syllablesLine 3: 5 syllables

Examples of a Haiku

Cruel autumn windCutting to the very bonesOf my poor scarecrow

Mirror-pond of stars;Suddenly a summer showerDimples the water

Limerick

Limerick is a rhymed humorous or nonsense poem of five lines which originated in Limerick, Ireland.

The Limerick has a set rhyme scheme of : a-a-b-b-a with a syllable structure of: 9-9-6-6-9 or 8-8-8-6-6-8.

The rhythm of the poem should go as follows: Lines 1, 2, 5: weak, weak, STRONG, weak, weak, STRONG,

weak, weak, STRONG, weak, weak Lines 3, 4: weak, weak, STRONG, weak, weak, STRONG, weak, weak

Limerick Example

The Man From Aruba There once was a man from Aruba, Whose favorite hobby was scuba. Every day he would wish, He could spear a big fish. But settled instead for canned tuna.

There was an old man with a beardWho said, "it’s just how I feared! Two owls and a hen Four larks and a wren Have all built their nests in my beard.- Edward Lear

There was an Old Man in a boat,Who said, 'I'm afloat, I'm afloat!'When they said, 'No! you ain't!'He was ready to faint,That unhappy Old Man in a boat. - Edward Lear

Bio Poem

A bio poem is used to focus on the characteristics of a person or animal.

Line 1: First Name Line 2: 4 Descriptive

Traits Line 3: Sibling of… Line 4: Lover of… Line 5: Who fears… Line 6: Who need Line 7: Who gives Line 8: Who would like

to see… Line 9: Resident of… Line 10: Last Name

Bio Poem Example

TomTall, Tasty, Feathery, ViciousSibling of Clucky Chicken and Big Bird,Lover of vegetarians and ham eaters,Fears Mr. Butterball and pilgrims,Needs to run around,Gives nourishment and left overs,Would like to see birds unite and revolt,Resident of Old MacDonald’s Farm,Turkey

Diamante or Diamond Poem

A Diamond Poem compares/ contrasts 2 opposite things/ objects

A Diamond Poem is composed of 7 lines, each line specific for a certain aspect of the poem similar to a Cinquain.

Format for a Diamond Poem

Line 1: One word NounLine 2: Two adjectives describing that nounLine 3: Three Verbs that the noun doesLine 4: 4 Things- 2 for the top noun, 2 for the

bottom nounLine 5: Three verbs for the bottom nounLine 6: Two adjectives that describe the bottom

nounLine 7: One word noun

Example of a Diamond Poem

CatFurry, Silky

Sleeping, Purring, MeowingTail, Fur, Tongue, CollarBarking, Playing, Licking

Friendly, BigDog

Epitaph

A short poem, saying or other message on a gravestone in memory of a deceased person. EX: For Mary Fowler, 1792, age 24, Milford, CT

Molly tho’ pleasant in her day Was suddenly seized and went away How soon she’s ripe, how soon she’s rotten Laid in her grave and soon forgotten.

Acrostic

Acrostic Poetry is where the first letter of each line spells a word, usually using the same words as in the title.

Acrostic Example

Heartbreaking He broke my heartEvery piece, shattered All I wanted was his love Real, as he promised True, as mine for him But he walked away Right in the middle of paradise Every beat of my heartAches for his love Keeping the flame aglow I will wait by the light Never losing the hope God will send him back to me

Ode

An Ode is a poem praising and glorifying a person, place or thing.

Ode Example

An Ode To Dreamers When dreamers dream And lovers love Do they receive their visions From heaven above? Or do they originate Where all things start Within our minds Within our hearts?I know not all But what I do know is this You cannot build a Kingdom Upon a flimsy wish So believe in your dreams Follow them blind Lest you loose them all, To the hands of time.

Concrete Poem

A poem in which the words of the poem are written in a way that creates the shape of the poem’s subject.

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Epic

An Epic is a long narrative poem celebrating the adventures and achievements of a hero...epics deal with the traditions, mythical or historical, of a nation.

Examples: Beowulf, Illiad

Fable

A fable is a poetic story composed in verse or prose with a moral summed up at the end. Usually using animals as characters to teach a valuable lesson.

Commonly heard of Aesop’s Fables

Even more types:

http://www.poemofquotes.com/articles/poetry_forms.php