Once Upon A Time...: Components and Elements of Poetry

Poetry contains specific components (line, stanza, meter) as well as important elements (rhythm, rhyme, form, and diction). Each of these components and elements define and organize poetry into something tangible. This post is by no means an exhaustive look at the components and elements of poetry but a simple look at how a poem functions.

Components

The important components of poetry are line, stanza, and meter. A line in a poem is the basic structure of a poem. It is not necessarily a complete sentence and can be arranged in various different ways depending on the poem. For instance, one of my favorite poets is E.E. Cummings. The lines of his poems can start at any position on the page, and he uses this visual impact to enhance his poetry. A line should work as a unit of speech and should begin and end with strong words. The first line should not only introduce your poem, but it should also grab the attention of the reader so avoid too many pronouns and definite articles like a, an, and the. The length of a line may help express feelings or evoke moods. If you want to create a sense of drama in a poem, then use shorter lines. If you want to create intense emotion, then use longer lines. The last line of a poem should be as powerful as the first because you want to leave the reader satisfied, startled, or with questions.

Stanzas are a group of one or more lines that make up a poem and act much like a paragraph with a main idea and a consistent theme. Stanzas signal a shift in the scene, a shift in focus, a shift in mood, a shift in time, or a pause. The pattern of stanzas can vary, and it must be both pleasing to the ear and to the eyes. Some poetry have only one stanza while others can go on and on in epic form. Depending on the kind of poem you are writing (like a couplet, a triplet, or a quatrain) will often determine the number of lines in a stanzas. For example, a Cinquain and a Limerick traditionally have five lines.

Meter is the emphasis in a line. It is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up a line of poetry. Meter is essential and gives regularity to a poem. The most common types of meter are iambic, trochaic, anapestic, and dactylic.

Examples of meter:

Iambic has an emphasis on the second syllable foot. An iambic tetrameter has four iambic feet per line giving it eight syllables per line.

Example: to DAY, a DAY

Trochaic (pronounced Tro-CHEE) has an emphasis on the first syllable of a two syllable foot. A trochaic tetrameter has four two syllable feet giving it a total of eight syllables per line.

Example: TIMing, TIME me

Anapestic has an emphasis on the third syllable in a three syllable foot. An anapestic tetrameter has four feet with three syllables with a total of twelve syllables per line.

Example: in a FORM

Dactylic has an emphasis on the first syllable of a three syllable foot. A dactyllic tetrameter has four feet containing three syllables each giving it twelve syllables per line.

Dactyl: CAL endar

Elements

The elements of poetry include rhythm, rhyme, form, and diction. Rhythm is the movement, repetition, and pattern of sound in a poem. It is the part of the poem that is easily discerned by ear and often heightens the emotional intensity. Rhythm is the heartbeat of a poem. It is what we sing and dance to. It is the defining element that separates poetry from prose.

Rhyme is the sound that similar vowels make and where the final consonant sound is in agreement. Rhyming is one of those elements I dare to experiment with in many of my poetry. I have a great appreciation for perfect rhymes, but I also take delight in free rhyme, where there is a close similarity in sound but not exact. It not only gives my poetry distinction, but also challenges some of the traditional notions of rhyming and gives a different impact to the emotion in the poetry.

Form is all of the structural components of a poem. It includes the rhythms, rhymes, stanzas, meter, and repetition found in the poem. In a way, it is the shape of the poem. The form of a poem determines the kind of poem it is. For example, an acrostic is a poem that uses the first letter of each line to spell out a word or phrase. It is this form that defines it as an acrostic.

Diction is the word choice and the order of the words in a poem. It is a combination of vocabulary and syntax. In a poem, language is used in a way that ordinary language can become complicated because there are so many different meanings to consider.

Verbs in Poetry

One way to improve a poem is to make the verbs more active. An active verb is a verb with more depth, more punch, and is more visual. If you have a problem poem that you are working on that does not seem to have the impact you desire, simply change the verbs. I usually use a thesaurus to look for verbs (and words) that have the meaning and impact needed. Below is a link to a worksheet I have used many times over the years to enhance the verbs in my poetry. It is a simple table where, on the left side, I list the problem verbs found in the poem I'm working on and, on the right side, I list more active verbs that will make a better substitute. Then I change the verbs in the poem until I have the result I'm looking for.