WHAT IS A
POEM?
A piece of creative
writing that usually consists of lines and words, often with rhymes and rhythm,
to produce a musical effect. It may be descriptive, narrative, abstract or just
nonsense and is used to express feelings, emotions, experiences and ideas.
THEME
The main subject or idea of a poem. A poem can sometimes have many themes.
The main subject or idea of a poem. A poem can sometimes have many themes.
SETTING
The
place, time or background of the poem. It can be specific or general, depending
on the poem.
LITERAL AND FIGURATIVE
MEANINGS
a) Literal Meaning – the
basic, original meaning of the poem
b) Figurative Meaning – the
deeper, imaginative meaning of the poem
TONE AND MOOD
a) Tone – the poet’s attitude
in the poem (e.g. defensive, positive or negative vibe)
b) Mood – The feelings
experienced by the reader (e.g. happiness, anger, pleasure)
POETIC DEVICES
Refers to the way words are used creatively by the poet to convey his ideas to the readers.
Refers to the way words are used creatively by the poet to convey his ideas to the readers.
a)
Sound Devices – The arrangement
of words to produce the effect of sounds
·
Alliteration
– repetition of an initial or beginning sound or consonant in two or more words
next to each other.
lovely land and languages
·
Assonance
– repetition of vowel sounds in two or more words in a line.
hear
the mellow wedding bells
·
Onomatopoeia
– a word that imitates a noise or sound.
The
people rustle in and out
b)
Literary Devices – The use
of special words or expressions to give emphasis to colour, sound, image and emotions
·
Metaphor
– an indirect comparison between two things. (e.g. She is a star)
·
Simile
– a direct comparison between two things with the use of words ‘like’ and ‘as
____ as’. (e.g. As still as a brooding
dove)
·
Personification
– an object or animal that is given human qualities or personalities. (e.g. The trees whispered in the breeze)
·
Hyperbole
–extreme exaggeration of something (e.g.
we are drowning in our own sweat)
·
Repetition
– stating something more than once to highlight the matter or for dramatic
effect.
·
Symbol/Image
– a word or object that has a few meanings and represents several things at one
time.
·
Rhetorical
question – a question that is asked without really needing an answer. (e.g. O’ wind, If winter comes, can spring
be far behind?)
POINT OF VIEW (POV)
·
Refers
to the particular way of thinking about the subject. POV can be expressed in
the following manner:
a) First Person – The speaker
is the character of the poem and tells it from his perspective. The pronouns
‘I’, ‘me’, ‘we’ or ‘us’ are used.
b) Second Person – Not a very
common POV. The speaker is not in the poem but mentions the character(s)
several times. The pronoun ‘you’ is used.
c) Third Person – The speaker
is not in the poem but is all-knowing and is able to tell what all the
characters are thinking. The pronouns ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’ or ‘they’ are used.
.jpg)
