The document provides an overview of poetry, including its key elements and devices. It defines what a poem is and discusses where poems can be found. It also explains common poetry terms like verse, stanza, rhyme, rhythm, and figurative language such as similes, metaphors, and idioms. Examples are given for many of these terms.

1. Poetry A poem is created by putting words together in an interesting way to express a feeling, create a mental picture, tell a story, or make a sound. Poetry entertains the ears and the eyes.

2. Poems Everywhere Poems can be found in many places. They are in your reading book and in lots of places in and out of school. You might have a collection of poems in one book all written by the same author, like this book by Shel Silverstein~

3. Or you might find a collection of poems, written by various authors, but printed in the same book. This is called an anthology .

4. Poetry Parts: Verse and Stanza Verse ~ usually means a line of poetry, but sometimes means a whole poem: Dust of Snow by Robert Frost The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I rued.

7. Rhyme Repetition of end sounds is called rhyme . My dog chewed up my homework. He slobbered on it, too. So now my homework’s ripped to shreds, And full of slimy goo . (~Bruce Lansky)

12. Free Verse or Unrhymed Verse Free verse or unrhymed poems do not rhyme or have regular rhythm. American Walt Whitman was one of the first poets to publish free verse poems. I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work… ~(From I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman)

14. Figurative Language Poets and other writers often use figurative language and other poetic devices to make their writing more interesting and expressive.