Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

LESSON 2: POETRY

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. define poetry;
2. identify the rhyme scheme of the poem; and
3. construct a haiku based on the given topic.

INTRODUCTION
Poetry is a type of literature based on the interplay of words and rhythm. It often
employs rhyme and meter (a set of rules governing the number and arrangement of syllables
in each line). In poetry, words are strung together to form sounds, images, and ideas that
might be too complex or abstract to describe directly.
Poetry has often reflected the voice of the time. Meaning, subject matter and language
choices may change with whatever is considered an everyday concern in the current society’s
expectations. Not many contemporary poems will use the same language as Shakespeare,
but that does not mean that they are any less valid and likewise, poetry that lasts through the
transition of time still resonates with the reader in some way.

Activity 1:
Directions: Write a rhyming lines below each beginning line. Try to make it similar in rhythm
and related to the first line.

1. My boat is stalled and needs a tow

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2. Look over there! I see a goat!

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3. I hope someday that I can see

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4. There is a light
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5. What was that thing I just ate?

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6. He said he has a new pet

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A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 32

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

READ

Poetry

 Is derived from a Greek word “poesis” meaning “making or creating.”

 A kind of language that says it more intensely than ordinary language does.
 Is as varied as the nature of man-unique in some sense along with man’s
eccentricities, yet clings if appreciated or if deeply imbibed by the reader. (Aguilar,
1997)
 There are five things to remember about poetry. (Baritugo, 2004)
 Poetry is a concentrated thought.
 Poetry is a kind of word-music.
 Poetry expresses all the sense.
 Poetry answers our demand for rhythm.
 Poetry is observation plus imagination.

Some of the best definitions of Poetry:

 A poem is a meaningful organization of words. (Gemino Abad)

 The fusion of two poles of mind, emotion, and thought. (T.S. Eliot)
 Poetry is the union of thought and feelings. (Manuel Viray)
 Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings recorded in tranquility.
(William Wadsworth)
 It is the rhythmic creation of beauty. (Edgar Allan Poe)
 It is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.
(Percy B. Shelly)
 Poetry is the essence of the creative imagination of man. ( Jaime G. Ang)

Elements of Poetry
 Sense
 Sound
 Structure
 Theme

 Sense – is revealed through the meaning of words, images and symbols.

 Diction – denotative and connotative meanings/symbols.
 Images and sense impression – sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, motion,
and emotion.
 Figure of speech – simile, metaphor, personification, apostrophe,
metonymy, synecdoche, hyperbole, irony, allusion, antithesis,
paradox, litotes, oxymoron, onomatopoeia.
 Sound – is the result of a combination of elements.
 Tone color - alliteration, assonance, consonance, rhyme, repetition,
anaphora.
 Rhythm – is the pattern of stressed ( ‘ ) and unstressed ( ˆ ).
* Poets use rhythm to help create different moods.
 Rhyme – is the repetition of sounds at the ends of the word.

Remember: When rhyme comes at the ends of lines of poetry, it is called end rhyme.
The pattern of end rhyme in a poem is called rhyme scheme. It is also known as the
formal arrangement of rhymes in stanza or the whole poem. Letters are used to show
the rhyme scheme, with each line receiving a letter.

A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 33

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

Example: The poem “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” by Jane Taylor

‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star, (a)
How I wonder what you are. (a)
Up above the world so high, (b)
Like a diamond in the sky. (b)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, (a)
How I wonder what you are!’ (a)
‘When the blazing sun is gone, (c)
When he nothing shines upon, (c)
Then you show your little light, (d)
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. (d)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, (a)
How I wonder what you are!’ (a)

The rhyme scheme of this poem can be determined by looking at the end word in
each line. The first line end in the word “star” and the second line end in the word “are”.
Because the two words rhyme, they both are given the letter “A”. A signifies that we have
found the first rhyme in the poem. The third line ends in the word “high” and the fourth line
words in“sky”. These two words don’t rhyme with the first two words, star and are, so they
get the letter “B”. So far, we have a rhyme scheme of AABB.
Remember that each time you run into a new end rhyme, you give that line a new
letter of the alphabet. Well, ‘gone’ and upon don’t match any earlier rhymes in the poem, o
they both get the letter ‘C’. In the same way, ‘light’ and ‘night’ follow suit, and being new
rhymes, receive the letter D.
So far the rhyme scheme in the second stanza is CCDD. But we find a repeat in the
final two lines of this second stanza in the words ‘star’and ‘are’. If we go back to the first
stanza, we notice that those words received the letter ‘A’. So the final rhyme scheme for this
second stanza is CCDDAA, and the poem itself has the total rhyme scheme thu far of
AABBAA, CCDDAA.

 Meter
 The meter of a poem is its rhythmical pattern.
 This pattern is determined by the number of stresses, or beats, n each line.
 To describe the meter of the poem you must scan the line by marking the
stressed and unstressed syllables.
 Use the slanted ( / ) for the strong stress and the horseshoe ( ᵕ ) for the weak
stress.
 The weak and strong stresses are then divided by vertical lines ( I ) into groups
called feet.

The following types of feet are common in English poetry:

1. Iamb – a foot with one weak stress followed by one strong stress, as in the word
“begin”
2. Trochee – a foot with one strong stress followed by one week stress, a in the word
“people”
3. Anapest – a foot with two week stresses followed by one strong stress, as in the
phrase “on the sea”
4. Dactyl - a foot with one strong stress followed by two weak stresses, as in the
word “happiness”
5. Spondee – a foot with two weak stresses, as in the word “downtown”

A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 34

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

6. Pyrrhic – a foot with two weak stresses, as in the last foot of the word “Unevenly”
7. Amphibrach – a foot with a weak syllable, one strong syllable and another weak
syllable, as in “the shimmering sunlight”
8. Amphimacer – a foot with a strong syllable, one weak syllable, and another strong
syllable, as in “Jack and Jill”

Note: Depending on the type of foot that is common in them, lines of poetry are described as
iambic, trochaic, anapestic, or dactylic.

 Structure – refers to (1) arrangement of words, and lines to fit together, and (2) the
organization of parts to form a whole.
 Word order – natural and unnatural arrangement of words.
 Ellipsis – omitting some words for economy and effect (…)
 Punctuation – abundance or lack of punctuation marks
 Shape – contextual and visual designs: jumps, omission of spaces, capitalization,
lower cases
 Theme – is the insight into life revealed by the poem.
- Sometimes the theme is stated directly. To fully understand it, paraphrase it, or
express it on own words.

Activity 2: Identify Me!

Directions: Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem below. Write your answer after each
line.

Shakespearean Sonnet

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, (___)
But sad mortality o’er-sways their power, (___)
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, (___)
Whose action is no stronger than a flower? (___)
O, how shall summer’s honey breath hold out (___)
Against the wreckful siege of battering days, (___)
When rocks impregnable are not so stout, (___)
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays? (___)
O fearful meditation! Where, alack, (___)
Shall Time’ best jewel from Time’ chest lie hid? (___)
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back? (___)
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid? (___)
O, none, unless this miracle have might, (___)
That in black ink my love may still shine bright. (___)

Miscellaneous Elements of Poetry

 Tone
 The basic attitude expressed in a poem.
 It is like the color of emotions.
 It is the poet’s or speaker attitude toward the reader, or towards himself or herself.
 Mood
 The atmosphere, or general feeling, the reader gets from the piece.
 A writer create a mood by choosing specific details, sound or words.

A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 35

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

TYPES AND FORMS OF POETRY

1. Lyric Poetry
2. Narrative Poetry
3. Dramatic Poetry

 Lyric Poetry
 It refers to the kind of poetry meant to be sung to the accompaniment of a lyre.
 It is usually short, simple and easy to understand.
 It’s a poet’s personal thought and feelings in vivid and musical language.
 It takes any forms with different patterns of rhyme and rhythm.

KINDS OF LYRIC POETRY

 Sonnets – this lyric poem has 14 line with a formal rhyme scheme or pattern.
Ex. Santang Abad by Alfonso P. Santos
 Elegy – this is a lyric poem which express lament and mourning for the dead,
feelings of grief and melancholy. Its theme is death.
Ex. The Lover’s Death by Ricardo Dementillo
 Ode – this is a poem of noble feelings, expressed with dignity, and praises for some
persons, objects, events, or ideas. It is exalted in tone and formal in
structure and content. It is the most majestic of the lyric poems.
Ex. Percy B. Shelly’s Ode to the West Wind
 Songs – a lyric poem in a regular metrical pattern. These have twelve syllables
(dodecasyllabic ) and slowly sung to the accompaniment of guitar and
banduria. Ex. Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas
 Psalms – This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing philosophy
in life. A lyric poem containing fourteen iambic lines, and complicated
rhyme.
 Simple Lyric – includes a variety of poems varying theme and characterized by
subjectivity. Ex. A simple love song by Victor Buhagiat, The Unspoken
Secret by Saniya Shroff
 Corridos (Kuridos) – these have measures of eight syllables ( octosyllabic ) and
recited to a material beat. Ex. Ibong Adarna by Jose Dela Cruz (Huseng
Sisiw)

 Narrative Poetry
 This form describes important events in life either real or imaginary.
 It is a type of poetry that tells a story.
 Narrative poems have a special appeal. It present dramatic events in vivid
way, using some of the same elements as short stories : plot, characters, and
dialogue.

KINDS OF NARRATIVE POETRY

 Epic – this is an extended narrative poetry about heroic exploits often under
supernatural control or divine intervention. It may deal with heroes and gods.
a. Popular or ancient epic poetry – is usually without definite author and is slow
In the development. Ex. Hudhud ni Aliguyon (Ifugao Province)
b. Modern epic poetry – has a definite author. Ex. Biag – ni – Lam-ang by Pedro
Bukaneg, indarapatra at Sulayman by Bartolome del Valle
 Metrical Tale
 This is a narrative which is written in verse and can be classified either as
ballad or metrical/medieval romance.
 It relates real or imaginary events.

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LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

 It has a wide scope of subjects, characters, life situations, i.e. emotional

experiences that can be light or serious.
a. Metrical/Medieval Romance – this is a narrative written n verse which deals
with the adventures of the knights wooing highborn ladies during the age
of chivalry. It has a spectacular vents charmed with magic and a distinct
theme that is the victory of good or evil.
Ex. Sir Gawain and the Green Knights, Paradise Lost by John Milton
b. Ballad – in narrative poem it is a songlike poem that tells story, often dealing
with adventure and romance. It is intended to be sung. Most ballads are written
in four-six stanzas and have a regular rhythms and rhyme schemes. A ballad
often features a refrain- a regularly repeated line or group of lines.
Ex. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
c. Fabliau - A comical and often grotesque verse tale with plot often hinge on the
comical treatment of bodily functions-sex, flatulence, diarrhea. They are at
the opposite pole from the courtly poetry with its artificial pictures of
knights and ladies and its elaboration of the subtleties of love. They
describe life and people and ridicule the absurdities and abuses of the
time. Ex. Chaucerian Canterbury Tales – The Miller’s Tale
d. Social Poem – this form is either purely comic or tragic and it pictures the life
of today. It may aim to bring about changes in the social conditions.

 Metrical Allegory – an extended narrative that carries a second meaning along

with the surface story. Things and Actions are symbolic. Ex. Aesop’s Fable,
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

 Dramatic Poetry
 It has elements that are closely related to the drama.
 It use a dramatic technique and may unfold a story.
 Its emphasis is more on the character rather than the narrative.

Kinds of Dramatic Poetry

 Dramatic Monologue - A combination of drama and poetry. It present some lines

or speech of a single character in a particular but complicated situation and
sometimes in a dilemma.
 Soliloquy - Is like the monologue. The speaker in the poem or the character in
play delivers a passage. His thought and emotions are heard by him and
by the audience.
 Character sketch - Is a poem in which the writer is concerned less with the
elements of the story. He presents his observations and comments to a
particular individual.
 Oration - Is formal address elevated in tone and is usually delivered on some
noble occasion.

SPECIAL TYPES OF POETRY

 Concrete Poetry
 Is poetry that is meant to be seen on the page, as well as heard like an
ordinary poem.
 In a concrete poem, the words are arranged into shape, often one that looks
like the subject.
 Verse that emphasizes nonlinguistic elements in its meaning, such as a
typeface that creates a visual image of the topic.

A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 37

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

Example

 Haiku
 Is a form of
poetry that originated in Japan.
 A haiku has three lines; the first and third lines have five syllables each; the second
line has seven.
 It depends on imagery.
 A haiku usually depicts a scene in nature and often implies a strong feeling.

Example

 Limerick
 Has short lines, a swift, catchy rhythm and heavily stressed rhymes.
 There are three beats in the first, second, and fifth lines which rhyme, and two beats
in the third and fourth lines, which also rhyme.
 Most limericks follow the rhyme scheme aabba.

Example

A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 38

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

 Epigram
 A short rhyming poem with some sort of satirical content. It is also a succinct, pithy
saying.

Example

Activity 3: Haiku Me!

Directions: Write your own version of haiku with the topic, “Lost Moments.” Write it on the
space provided below.

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LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor
Part II LESSON 2: POETRY

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROSE AND POETRY

RUBRICS/ CRITERIA FOR GRADING THE CLASS ACTIVITY/-IES

Rubric for Activity 3: Haiku

Haiku Poetry Form –5

Structure Line Relationship –5
Language Imagery –5
Neatness –5
Spelling –5
25 points

A MODULE ON LIT. III - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE 40

LORIE JANE R. DELOS SANTOS, MAED
Subject Instructor