Workshop

Poetry workshop is the place you want to go to learn more about the art of writing, reading, and interpreting poetry. The workshop includes various hot topics like different types of poetry, how to use rhythm in your writing, and what all those different terms like assonance and alliteration mean.

Not only this but if you’re feeling bored, you can try out one of these lesser-known forms of poetry like Clerihew? This section has all you will ever need when it comes to learning about reading, writing, and even speaking poetry.

To discover new ways to improve your poetry with these simple tips or find new ways to get inspired, keep on reading.

Love Poems to Make Your Girlfriend Cry on Valentine’s Day

Gary R. Hess

Heart for Valentine's Day

Are you looking for Valentine’s Day poems to give your girlfriend? Then you’ve come to the right spot! In this article, we will take a look at some of the best love poems ever created to help you give your girl the romantic day she craves.

[Tip: Handwrite one of these poems on a card or stationary paper, draw some hearts, and wrap a bow around it]

Keep reading to find these fantastic poems to make your girlfriend cry from joy.(Continue reading…)

The Forgetten Poetry of Abraham Lincoln

Gary R. Hess

Abraham LincolnDid you know Abraham Lincoln was a poet? He may be best known for his Gettysburg Address and winning the Civil War, but he should be also remembered as an avid reader and amateur poet. Reading these poems is a fantastic way to celebrate Lincoln’s birthday on February 12.

Like many of us, Lincoln began writing poetry as a teenager. This is one of his first poems:

Abraham Lincoln
his hand and pen
he will be good but
god knows When

It was written sometime between 15 and 17.(Continue reading…)

The 10 Greatest Love Poems in History

Gary R. Hess

Greatest love poemsThe greatest love poems ever written is among one of the biggest controversies discussed by modern literature aficionados. What poem is the best? Which poet deserves the honor? Must the poet be among the most famous to be included on the list?

All of these questions are incredibly important and are discussed in depth within most poetry circles. The list below is not meant to stop any of these questions being asked but instead, add to the discussion. Which poems do you think deserve to be included in the list?(Continue reading…)

Comprehensive List of Poetry Types

Gary R. Hess

Types of PoemsAre you looking for new poetry types to try out? Everyone knows the most common types of poetry like haiku, sonnet, ballad, and free verse. But what about the others?

In this article, you’ll discover a comprehensive list of different types of poetry with easy to understand explanations along with some examples. Some of these styles will have strict rhythm while others will use repetition or other techniques. Whether you are searching for new poetry styles to write or doing research for a critique, you will surely find this list useful and informative.

The Three Genres of Poetry

A few thousand years ago, the great philosopher Aristotle divided poetry into three genres: comedy, tragedy, and epic. He said comedy was an imitation of something inferior in a humorous way, while both tragedies and epics are ways of displaying suffering. The main differences he saw between tragedies and epics are that epics are told as narratives in heroic meter and epics are longer with the ability to jump back and forth to different events happening at the same time. Tragedies, on the other hand, are written in iambic meter and should be able to be read in only one hearing.

Today, most literature enthusiasts agree that poetry is divided into three parts: dramatic, lyric, and narrative.

  1. Dramatic
    Dramatic poetry is a drama written in verse and meant to be spoken. This type of writing is usually written as a story or portrays a situation. The majority of dramatic poetry is written in blank verse. The most famous authors of dramatic poetry are Shakespeare, Jonson, and Marlowe.
  2. Lyric
    Lyric poetry expresses the thoughts and feelings of the writer and is often written with a song-like quality. Common types of lyrics include odes, elegies, and sonnets.
  3. Narrative
    Narratives tell stories. Common types of narratives are ballads and epics.

Nonetheless, these three genres can easily be divided into more exact categories of poetry types.

Specific Poetry Types

ABC

Consists of five lines. Lines from 1 to 4 are made up of words, phrases, or clauses with the first letter of each line in alphabetical order. Line 5 is one sentence long and may start with any letter.

Acrostic

Consists of any number of lines which spell a word or message. Usually, the message is formed from the first letter of the phrase but may be any letter.(Continue reading…)

How to Write a Clerihew

Gary R. Hess

ClerihewI have mentioned Clerihew a few times on this blog and I even made an entire theme of Bright Dreams Journal of the genre, but what exactly is it and what does it accomplish?

Why Write a Clerihew?

First and foremost, yes, poetry has to accomplish something. It does not matter what. Entertainment, persuasion, and information are the most common. For Clerihew, entertainment is the most obvious choice. However, using Clerihew as a way to give information about people can also be a great way to help children remember important historical figures.(Continue reading…)

How to Understand Poetry

Gary R. Hess

Understand poetryUnderstanding poetry is sometimes a difficult task, especially when you are new to trying to understand the deeper parts of literature. Not to mention, that when you are dealing with older poetry the more difficult it can be to uncover the true meaning of the writing. Nonetheless, the more we understand poetic elements, figures of speech, vocabulary, and sometimes the life or culture of the author, the better we will comprehend the poem.(Continue reading…)

Sensory Use of Elements for Imagery in Poetry

Gary R. Hess

Sensory use in poetryOver the past thirty years, poets have begun putting much emphasis on imagery. This is not to say imagery wasn’t important in the past, look at haiku’s popularity. Nonetheless, imagery has expanded so much that it virtually is the poem. Poets have recently spent their entire writing describing actions, scenery, and objects. It’s an interesting phenomenon and has brought about great works of art in the process. These poets are known as “imagists.” However, you don’t need to be an imagist in order to use at least some imagery in poetry. Actually, all poems should have at least a minuscule. It may be added through similes, metaphors, simple to complex descriptions, personification, hyperbole, and use of concrete words.(Continue reading…)

Using Repetition in Poetry: Definitions and Purposes

Gary R. Hess

Poetry is an art form, which can be created in a wide variety of ways. Most poetry styles have a unique pattern, which must be followed strictly. However, there are some forms that aren’t as strict and allow some leeway on what you can do. Using repetition allows you to reinforce ideas, add structure, create rhythm, create unity, and add additional emotion.

Different Types of Repetitions

First, let’s look at the different types of repetition used in poetry.(Continue reading…)

Poetry Writing Rubric: Middle School to College

Gary R. Hess
Poetry Writing Rubric: Middle School to College

Poetry is a great tool for every English classroom. Whether you are a middle school, high school, college, or even an ESL teacher, it is an amazing activity for your students to express themselves and show their inner creativity.

Poetry is an excellent teaching tool for a variety of reasons:

  1. Poetry uses an assortion of literary elements. You can ask your students to use a variety of elements in their writing like metaphors, similes, alliterations, etc.
  2. Students can use specific rhythm in their writing. For example, have students write a poem in iambic.
  3. It can easily be used to teach vocabulary. Have students use specific vocabulary words in their writing. Using vocabulary is the best way to learn it.
  4. Poetry helps creativity. Use it to test students on their creative abilities.

These are just a few of the reasons why teaching poetry in the classroom should be a requirement at all levels.(Continue reading…)

How to Write a Poetry Explication

Gary R. Hess

Writing a poetry explication–a longer version of a poetry analysis–may sound like a difficult job, but it doesn’t have to be. As long as you explain the poem in detail following these simple steps, you shouldn’t have any great difficulty.

What is a poetry analysis?

A poetry analysis is an important part of understanding all writings. Luckily, there are many ways to go about this. Essentially though, they all accomplish one thing: explaining both the figurative and literal meaning of a poem and explaining the metaphors and symbolism used in the writing.

Let’s go ahead and look through a basic outline on how to explicate poetry.

Steps to Prepare for the Explication

  1. Read a short biography of the author. This is so you can have a feel for what a poem may be referring to when you attempt to interpret it. Of course, this isn’t always a must. It depends on you or your teacher.

    2. (Continue reading…)