SoundSoundWhat to Listen For in PoetryWhat to Listen For in Poetry

What’s Important?What’s Important?

A feature of any good poem is unity. It’s A feature of any good poem is unity. It’s sounds cannot be separated from its sounds cannot be separated from its themes, structure, imagery, etc.themes, structure, imagery, etc.

While knowing the terms is helpful, it is While knowing the terms is helpful, it is more important to understand that rhyme more important to understand that rhyme and rhythm contribute to the meaning and and rhythm contribute to the meaning and effect of a poemeffect of a poem

What counts on the exam is your ability to What counts on the exam is your ability to explain the explain the functionfunction of the technique of the technique

RhymeRhyme End Rhyme—the repetition of identical sounds at the End Rhyme—the repetition of identical sounds at the

end of successive linesend of successive lines

Slant Rhyme—sounds that are close to each other, Slant Rhyme—sounds that are close to each other, but not exact duplicates (seen/been, ill/all, but not exact duplicates (seen/been, ill/all, summer/somewhere), it can help break up the summer/somewhere), it can help break up the monotony of repetitious conventional rhymemonotony of repetitious conventional rhyme A beautiful girl said something in your praise A beautiful girl said something in your praise

And either because in a hundred ways And either because in a hundred ways I had heard of her great worth and had no I had heard of her great worth and had no doubt doubt To find her lovlier than I To find her lovlier than I thoughtthought

Internal Rhyme—two or more words that rhyme in an Internal Rhyme—two or more words that rhyme in an individual line of poetry, may be used for emphasis individual line of poetry, may be used for emphasis or individual unityor individual unity The splendour The splendour fallsfalls on castle on castle wallswalls

Rhyme SchemeRhyme Scheme

The pattern of rhyming words within a The pattern of rhyming words within a given stanza or poemgiven stanza or poem

For convenience, each similar end rhyme For convenience, each similar end rhyme is usually labeled with a letter of the is usually labeled with a letter of the alphabetalphabet

You will most likely be asked to analyze You will most likely be asked to analyze the effect/meaning of the rhyme, not the the effect/meaning of the rhyme, not the actual scheme. Discussing the function of actual scheme. Discussing the function of the rhyme will be useful on the essaythe rhyme will be useful on the essay

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia

Words that replicate sound—boom, buzz, Words that replicate sound—boom, buzz, clangclang

Creates a vivid sensory imageCreates a vivid sensory image

RepetitionRepetition

Alliteration—repetition of initial sounds in Alliteration—repetition of initial sounds in words and syllableswords and syllables

Assonance—the repetition of similar vowel Assonance—the repetition of similar vowel sounds, can create a slant rhyme sounds, can create a slant rhyme (earth/hearth, little/beetle(earth/hearth, little/beetle

Consonance—repetition of consonants Consonance—repetition of consonants appearing within a line or at the end of appearing within a line or at the end of words (odds and ends, struts and frets)words (odds and ends, struts and frets)

Meter and RhythmMeter and Rhythm The poetic unit of measurement is the foot. Poetic feet The poetic unit of measurement is the foot. Poetic feet

may consist og two or three syllablesmay consist og two or three syllables

Iamb—two syllable foot, unstressed/stressedIamb—two syllable foot, unstressed/stressed From eve/ry room/ descends/ the paint/ed faceFrom eve/ry room/ descends/ the paint/ed face

Trochee—two syllable foot, stressed/unstressedTrochee—two syllable foot, stressed/unstressed Mitten, gunshot, appleMitten, gunshot, apple

Spondee—two syllables, both stressedSpondee—two syllables, both stressed High on the shore sat the great god PanHigh on the shore sat the great god Pan

Dactyl—3 syllables, stressed/unstressed/unstressedDactyl—3 syllables, stressed/unstressed/unstressed Criminal, possible, travelerCriminal, possible, traveler

Anapest—3 syllables, unstressed/stressed/stressedAnapest—3 syllables, unstressed/stressed/stressed Regulate, lemmonade, palisade Regulate, lemmonade, palisade

Stopping by Woods Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Eveningon a Snowy Evening

How do the rhyme and rhythm conttribute How do the rhyme and rhythm conttribute to the poem?to the poem?

Caesura and Caesura and EnjambmentEnjambment

Caesura—some lines of poetry call for an Caesura—some lines of poetry call for an internal pause, usually indicated by a internal pause, usually indicated by a period, semicolon, dash, or other period, semicolon, dash, or other punctuation, mimics patterns of human punctuation, mimics patterns of human speechspeech I saw the Almighty Man. His hand I saw the Almighty Man. His hand

Was resting on a mountain, and Was resting on a mountain, and He looked upon the World and all about it He looked upon the World and all about it

Enjambment—a run-on, indicated by the Enjambment—a run-on, indicated by the lack of punctuation at the end of a line, lack of punctuation at the end of a line, eliminates the need to pauseeliminates the need to pause We Real CoolWe Real Cool

Blank VerseBlank Verse

Written in meter, but does not rhymeWritten in meter, but does not rhyme

Free VerseFree Verse

Ignores conventions of meter and rhythmIgnores conventions of meter and rhythm

These poems derive their effects from These poems derive their effects from irregular length of line and recurring irregular length of line and recurring imageryimagery

Sound patterns such as alliteration, Sound patterns such as alliteration, assonance, internal rhyme, and even end assonance, internal rhyme, and even end rhyme may compensate for lack of meterrhyme may compensate for lack of meter