Poetry Architecture and Digital Poetry Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structural pillars, traditional forms, repetitional structures, and digital characteristics of poetry.

Traditional Poetry

Refers to poems that follow established rules and conventions passed down through generations.

Six Pillars of Form

The structural framework of traditional poetry, comprising Specific Structure, Rhyme Schemes, Meter & Rhythm, Stanza Organization, Figurative Language, and Genre Conventions.

Specific Structure

A pillar of form referring to syllable counts and line patterns.

Rhyme Schemes

A pillar of form defined as interlocking phonetic patterns.

Meter & Rhythm

A pillar of form described as the engineered heartbeat of the line.

Stanza Organization

A pillar of form establishing the norms of the poem.

Figurative Language

A pillar of form described as the interior design and imagery of the poem.

Genre Conventions

The established traditions and expected features of a specific poetic form.

Sonnet

A traditional $14$-line poem usually written in iambic pentameter, engineered for logical progression.

Shakespearean Sonnet

A sonnet structured as $3$ quatrains and $1$ couplet with the rhyme scheme $ABAB\,CDCD\,EFEF\,GG$, which builds a theme across the quatrains and delivers a punchline or conclusion in the couplet.

Petrarchan Sonnet

A sonnet structured into an octave ($8$ lines) and a sestet ($6$ lines) with an $ABBAABBA$ scheme plus variations, driven by a volta.

Volta

The structural turn in a sonnet where the octave presents a problem and the sestet provides a solution or reflection.

Haiku

A short poem from the Japanese tradition consisting of $3$ lines with a $5-7-5$ syllable structure, featuring simplicity, precision, nature imagery, and seasonal references.

Limerick

A $5$-line poem with an $AABBA$ rhyme scheme, characterized by a lighthearted, funny, narrative style.

The Ballad

A plot-driven story poem focusing on adventure, romance, tragedy, or heroism that relies heavily on dialogue to advance the narrative and is anchored by a refrain.

Refrain

A repetitive structural element anchored by a recurring chorus in a ballad.

Ode

A formal lyric poem of praise featuring elevated language and a serious tone, expressing deep admiration for a person, object, event, or abstract idea.

Elegy

A poem of mourning or reflection that meditates on mortality, honors someone who has died, and focuses on themes of death, loss, remembrance, and grief.

Villanelle

A highly structured $19$-line poem consisting of $5$ tercets and $1$ quatrain that employs repeating entire lines weaving through an $ABA$ scheme.

Sestina

A complex $39$-line mathematical puzzle consisting of $6$ stanzas of $6$ lines plus a final $3$-line stanza, repeating exactly six end-words in a shifting, set pattern.

Digital Poetry

Poetry created and shared through technology and digital platforms such as websites, blogs, social media, presentations, and video tools.

Multimodal

A key characteristic of digital poetry that combines poetic text with visual, audio, video, and interactive elements.