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What Is Poetry

This document provides an introduction to poetry and discusses what poetry is. It examines three definitions of poetry, combining them into a single definition. Poetry is a form of creative writing that expresses concentrated imaginative experiences through carefully chosen words arranged in intentional lines. The placement of words, sounds, and rhythms aims to create an emotional response. The document also lists characteristics of poetry, such as its concentrated language, intentional word choice and arrangement, use of imagery, and ability to create music and art with language.

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Ola Moutaweah
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93 views9 pages

What Is Poetry

This document provides an introduction to poetry and discusses what poetry is. It examines three definitions of poetry, combining them into a single definition. Poetry is a form of creative writing that expresses concentrated imaginative experiences through carefully chosen words arranged in intentional lines. The placement of words, sounds, and rhythms aims to create an emotional response. The document also lists characteristics of poetry, such as its concentrated language, intentional word choice and arrangement, use of imagery, and ability to create music and art with language.

Uploaded by

Ola Moutaweah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Poetry

Lecture 1
What is Poetry
WHAT IS POETRY?
Defining poetry is tricky because
a simple definition can’t do it justice.
It’s like trying to define a tree or a sunrise.
To truly understand poetry, you must experience it:
you must read it –deeply, widely, carefully, and
repeatedly, and you must write it as well.
That said, let’s take a look at three fairly acceptable
definitions:
 “A poem is a piece of writing in which the words are chosen
for their sound and the images and ideas they suggest, not
just their obvious meaning. The words are arranged in
separate lines, often ending in rhyme.” from Cambridge
International Dictionary of English.
“Poetry is writing in language chosen and arranged to create
a particular emotional response through meaning, sound, and
rhythm.” from Webster’s New Encyclopedic Dictionary.
“Poetry is writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative
awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to
create a specific emotional response through meaning,
sound, and rhythm.”
I’ve taken the liberty of joining these three definitions, adding a
few clarifying words here and there: Poetry is:
1-a form of creative writing
2-that expresses a concentrated imaginative awareness of
experience
3-with words carefully chosen for their sound and for the
images and ideas they suggest, not just their obvious meaning,
4-and arranged in intentional separate lines, sometimes ending
in rhyme,
5-for the purpose of creating a particular emotional response
through its layers of meaning, placement of words, sound, and
rhythm.
Brainstorming: CHARACTERISTICS OF
POETRY
1- Poetry uses concentrated language: less words,
more meaning.
2- All words are chosen carefully so that each word
packs a punch.
3- Words are chosen for their sound and layers of
meaning.
4- Often poetry uses language in a beautiful, creative,
and expressive way.
Words are intentionally arranged in
separate lines.
5- Often poetry expresses strong feelings and emotions.
6- Words are intentionally arranged in separate lines.
7- Lines are sometimes arranged in stanzas.
8- Often poetry has rhythm.
9- Sometimes poetry has rhyme.
10- Poetry contains imagery (descriptions with sensory
details), figurative language (similes, metaphors,
symbolism, personification, etc.), and sound effects
(alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance,
rhythm, and rhyme).
Poems have their own unique shape.
12- Poetry comes in different forms and patterns.
13- Poetry always has a purpose, but it doesn’t always
have to make sense.
14- Sometimes poems don’t follow
punctuation/capitalization rules, but when rules are
broken, it’s for a reason.
15- Poetry doesn’t have to be serious; it can be funny
or silly.
16- Poetry uses language to create music and art.
Poems contain some (and sometimes all) elements
of: fiction (setting, point-of-view, characterization,
conflict, plot, theme, voice, style, and mood).
Poetry makes you see an aspect of life or the world in
a new way.
19- Poetry attempts to put into words inexpressible
ideas and emotions.
20- Poetry should be seen, heard, and “felt with the
heart.”

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