Poetry Workshop Poetry is a way to put your feelings or expression into words.
Poems can be... Free Verse
Rhyming
Free Verse Poems... Do not rhyme Do not have a pattern Do not have a rhythm Do not have a structure
Rhyming Poems... Rhyme May have a pattern Has a rhythm May have a structure
Poetry Toolbox Words Rhythm Punctuation Stanzas Refrain
Words Choose the absolute best words for your poem. Use a thesaurus to replace dead words. Think of your five senses; touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell.
Rhythm Poems with rhythm usually contain rhyming words at the ends of lines Specific syllables are stressed The rhyming follows a pattern Rhyming dictionaries are helpful to create rhythm
Punctuation Is used to show the reader how to read the poem May not have any punctuation May have commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation points Needs to be consistent
Stanzas A divided section with a group of lines A format chosen by the poet May include a rhyming pattern
Refrain Repetitive line found throughout the poem Is usually found in the same place in each stanza Similar to the chorus in a song
Since Hanna Moved Away The tires on my bike are flat…
Flowers smell like halibut.
The sky is grouchy gray.
Velvet feels like hay.
At least it sure feels like that
Every handsome dog’s a mutt
Since Hanna moved away.
Since Hanna moved away.
Chocolate ice cream tastes like prunes.
Nothing’s fun to laugh about.
December’s come to stay.
Nothing’s fun to play.
They’ve taken back the Mays and Junes
They call me, but I won’t come out
Since Hanna moved away
Since Hanna moved away.
Judith Viorst
Try one of these possible refrains On my way to school today I think I’ll stay in bed And that was that If you ask me Why does it have to be me? I laughed and giggled all day