LOP - Structure Lesson

Structure

An essay or short story is generally indistinguishable at first glance. However, a poem looks different. The arrangement of words upon the page creates another level of meaning for a poem. Form is perhaps the best clue in distinguishing a poem. If the work is a sonnet, it will have fourteen lines. A haiku is determined by the number of syllables on each line. These forms signal certain types of poems that have their own rules and traditions. For instance, a limerick is expected to be funny or wry. 

The arrangement of the words can also be much more subtle. The syntax in poetry is often unusual. This can create difficulty in comprehension, but it almost always signifies a purpose in the poem. Where the poet begins a new line can impart interesting context. The line break in a poem is called enjambment.

Read the following two poems. Note in each how the lines are arranged, as well as the words. Listen to "We Real Cool" and read the material on the context of the poem.

Reading Assignment: "kidnap poem" by Nikki Giovanni

Click here to read "kidnap poem" by Nikki Giovanni Links to an external site.

Click here to read the biography of poet Nikki Giovanni Links to an external site.

Reading Assignment: "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks

Click here to read "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks Links to an external site.

Click here to read the biography of Gwendolyn Brooks Links to an external site.

Self-Assessment and Practice

 

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