Poetry

Dictionary.com defines poetry as "the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts." It also refers to a literary work written in metrical form or "verse." http://www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/poetry By this definition, poetry can be interpreted in many different ways, though it usually involves a compression of language.

In contemporary America there are many outlets for poetry. As the number of universities offering degrees in creative writing continue to rise, new MFA programs (Master of Fine Arts) try to distinguish their curriculum. http://www.pw.org/content/qampa_nicole_cooley_and_new_mfa This hybridization of poetic "schools" can also be found at open-mics, where the stage is opened to a variety of aesthetics. Slam poetry places an emphasis on writing and performance. http://www.nps2010.com/whatSlam.htm It is often seen at open-mics and televised nationally at some venues including Def Poetry Jam.

Poetry predates literacy. Before the advent of books and written records, poetry was used as a way to chronicle knowledge or expression. Frequently, it was used in liturgy and possessed a lyric component to make it easier to remember. Some writers believe that poetry originated from song. http://www.poetry.org/whatis.htm

The structure of a poem varies according to the type of poem that it is. Structural elements include the line, couplet, and stanza. http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/ In an established form of poetry, the line count and rhyme scheme may be predetermined. In a traditional sonnet, or Shakespearean sonnet, the line count is fixed at fourteen. Additionally, it follows a pattern: ababcdcdefefgg. The last two lines are considered a couplet. http://www.sonnets.org/basicforms.htm The content of the poem can vary in a Shakespearean sonnet but the other guidelines remain. In free verse, there are no guidelines in regards to structure. The poet is free to shape the poem accordingly. http://www.edu.pe.ca/stjean/playing%20with%20poetry/Hickey/Free%20Verse.htm

Repetition is often used to emphasize a point or make a line more fluid. It can involve repeating a line verbatim, rhyming, or stressing certain syllables. Alliteration is repeating the same or similar sound at the beginning of words. Assonance is repeating similar vowel sounds in a line but with different ending consonants. http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/51-assonance-literary-term.htm

Poetry does not always speak directly to ideas. Metaphor and simile are used as a means of comparison. Metaphor is a pattern comparing two unlike objects. Similes use the word "like" or "as" to denote a relationship between two things that are seemingly dissimilar. http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/84-simile.htm

Enjambment helps to create a sense of expectation in the reader. By ending a line mid-phrase or sentence but continuing the thought in the next line, the linguistic unit is carried over accordingly. http://www.poetry.org/whatis.htm There are numerous ways to play with language. Understanding poetry involves making sense of these and other techniques, deciphering images, and grasping the theme.