A COURSE MODULE FOR PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

Lesson 2. Poetry
Learning 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. The 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 line 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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READ

Poetry

 Is derived from the 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 senses.
 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)

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

 Diction – denotative and connotative meanings/symbols.

 Images and sense impressions – 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 –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 a stanza or the whole poem. Letters are used to show the rhyme scheme, with each line receiving
a letter.

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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 with the word “star” and the second line end with 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 with the word “high” and the fourth line words “sky”. These two words do
not 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 do not 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

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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 thus 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 of stress, and in the word
“people”
3. Anapest – a foot with two weak 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”
6. Pyrrhic – a foot with two strong 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.

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Structure – refers to (1) the 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 in your 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 whom his spoil of beauty can forbid? (___)
O, none, unless this miracle have might, (___)
That in black ink my love may still shine bright. (___)

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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's attitude toward the reader, or towards himself or herself.

 Mood

 The atmosphere, or general feeling, the reader gets from the piece.
 A writer creates a mood by choosing specific details, sounds, or words.

Types and Forms of Poetry

1. 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 is a poet’s thoughts and feelings in vivid and musical language.

 It takes forms with different patterns of rhyme and rhythm.

Kinds of Lyric Poetry

 Sonnets – this lyric poem has 14 lines with a formal rhyme scheme or pattern. Ex. Santang
Abad by Alfonso P. Santos

 Elegy – this is a lyric poem that expresses 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 are slowly sung to the accompaniment of guitar and bandurria. Ex.
Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas

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 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 with varying themes and is characterized by
subjectivity. Ex. A simple love song by Victor Buhagiat, The UnspokenSecret by Saniya
Shroff

 Corridos (Kuridos) – these have measures of eight syllables (octosyllabic) and are recited
to a material beat. Ex. Ibong Adarna by Jose Dela Cruz (Huseng Sisiw)

2. 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 presents dramatic events vividly, 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 a definite author and is slow in
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 that is written in verse and can be classified either as a ballad or
metrical/medieval romance. It relates to real or imaginary events. It has a wide
scope of subjects, characters, and life situations, i.e., emotional experiences that
can be light or serious.

a. Metrical/Medieval Romance – this is a narrative written n verse that deals with the
adventures of the knights wooing highborn ladies during the age of chivalry. It has

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spectacular vents charmed with magic and a distinct theme is the victory of good or evil.
Ex. Sir Gawain and the Green Knights, Paradise Lost by John Milton

b. Ballad – in the narrative poem it is a songlike poem that tells a story, often dealing with
adventure and romance. It is intended to be sung. Most ballads are written in four-six
stanzas and have 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 a plot often hinges on the
comical treatment of bodily functions-sex, flatulence, and 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

3. Dramatic Poetry

 It has elements that are closely related to the drama.

 It uses 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 presents some lines or speech
of a single character in a particular but complicated situation and sometimes in a dilemma.

 Soliloquy - This is like the monologue. The speaker in the poem or the character in the play
delivers a passage. His thought and emotions are heard by him and by the audience.

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 Character sketch - This 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 - This is a 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 shapes, 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. 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

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 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

 Epigram

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

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Activity 3: Haiku Me!

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

Difference between Prose and Poetry

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References:

Lacia, Ferdilyn, C., et al. (3rd Ed.), (2015). The Literatures of the Philippines. Quezon City, Metro
Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Saymo, A. S. (2014). Philippine Literature. Manila, Philippines: Erehwon Artworld Corporation

Ang, J. G. (2012). Literature 101 (Philippine Literature: A Course Reader). Manila, Philippines:
Mindshapers Co., Inc.

Marco, L.L. et al. (2009). Philippine Literary Heritage (from Spanish Period to Present). Manila,
Philippines: Mindshapers Co., Inc.

PNU Reviewer: General Education. (2019)

Rubrics/ Criteria for Grading

Rubric for Activity 3: Haiku

Haiku Poetry Form –5

Structure Line Relationship –5

Language Imagery –5

Neatness –5

Spelling –5

25 points

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