Introduction to Poetry
Like music, poetry can be a window to the
mind and it's a wonderful form of expression.
Poems can convey feeling, emotions and
ideas.
When it comes to poetry, there are three
essential ingredients that contribute to the meaning and message behind a poem.
They are form, devices and theme. As an example, we will look at the ancient
Japanese poetic form called haiku as it relates to these three concepts.
Form: This refers to the actual
way the poem is put together, such as the number of stanzas, the type of rhyme
scheme, and the type of poem. Just like the body has a skeleton to hold its
shape, poems have a structure that holds their ideas together. In poetry, that
"skeleton" is called form. There are many different types or forms of
poetry such as Haiku, Couplet, Quatrain, Limerick,
and Free Verse. Poem’s form may be very restricted and limited or very free
without many restrictions. Rules for form might include number of words,
indention, capitalization, number of syllables, placement of rhymed words, and
number and/or placement of lines.
- With a haiku, the poem is usually three lines long, has been
broken up so that there are 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the next
and back to 5 syllables in the last line. There is usually no rhyming, so
the scheme would be ABC, and the type of poem is descriptive.
Poetic
Devices: There are numerous devices employed within
poetry, essentially it is language being used in a particular way to convey a
certain feeling or meaning. Poetic devices are tools that an author uses to
help the reader visualize what is happening in a story or poem. Devices include
imagery, alliteration, metaphor, onomatopoeia and simile.
- With haikus, imagery is the main poetic device.
Theme: Theme is just that, it is the general idea or thought being
conveyed through the poem. The theme is
the point a writer is trying to make about a subject. Learning about theme
helps you decide what is important. The theme of the poem tells what the whole
poem is about. All the words, descriptions, figurative language, detail
sentences, and scenes are all small parts that add to the reader's
understanding of what you feel about the theme.
- With haikus, the general theme has to do with a moment in
nature.
