(TUG) Thematic Unit: Guilt - Types of Poetry & Figures of Speech Lesson

Thematic Unit: Guilt - Types of Poetry and Figures of Speech Lesson 

Poems are generally divided into sections. We call these verses or stanzas, and they are the poetic equal of paragraphs, but with more shape, weight and focus than the prose equivalent. Stanzas are like islands encircled by shores. Line-breaks and stanzas, accentuated by punctuation, can be used to establish a pace, to push the poem onwards and develop the theme. The pattern they form contributes to the total effect of the poem.

Poets may choose to write in a traditional form - say a ballad or a sonnet. Alternatively they may choose to write in what is often called 'free verse', ostensibly liberated from the restrictions of tradition. Yet, traditional forms of poetry can sometimes liberate. In testing the boundaries of a form you might find that you break rules. Similarly, you may find that writing free verse necessitates some new conventions and rules. While taking liberties, free verse still uses formal elements to establish things like rhythm and meaning, for instance.