Elements of Poetry

Vocabulary flashcards covering key poetic terms, structures, and sub-types from the lecture notes.

Poetry

A form of literature that conveys thoughts, scenes, or stories in a concentrated, often musical arrangement of words.

Line (in poetry)

A single row of words in a poem; may or may not form a complete sentence.

Stanza

A group of lines set apart by a blank line, functioning like a paragraph in poetry.

Prose

Ordinary writing arranged in sentences and paragraphs (e.g., novels, essays).

Couplet

A two-line stanza.

Tercet

A three-line stanza.

Quatrain

A four-line stanza.

Cinquain

A five-line stanza.

Sestet

A six-line stanza.

Septet

A seven-line stanza.

Octave

An eight-line stanza.

Lyric Poetry

Poetry with a single speaker expressing personal emotions or feelings.

Narrative Poetry

Poetry that tells a story with characters, conflict, and plot development.

Descriptive Poetry

Poetry focused on vividly portraying the external world through imagery and adjectives.

Sonnet

A 14-line lyric poem, traditionally on love; includes Petrarchan and Shakespearean forms.

Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet

A sonnet of an octave (asks a question) and a sestet (answers it) with rhyme scheme ABBA ABBA CDECDE.

Shakespearean (English) Sonnet

A sonnet of three quatrains and a final rhyming couplet with rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

Ballad

A narrative poem resembling a song, often romantic, adventurous, or humorous, using simple language.

Epic

A lengthy narrative poem recounting heroic deeds of legendary or mythical figures (e.g., Beowulf, The Odyssey).

Haiku

A three-line Japanese poem with 5-7-5 syllable pattern, typically about nature.

Limerick

A five-line humorous poem; lines 1,2,5 are longer (7-10 syllables) and rhyme, lines 3,4 are shorter (5-7 syllables) and rhyme.