Language of Poetry

Part A. Imagery: Literal images & Figurative images Part B. Sound Patterns: Rhythm & Rhyme

Part A. Imagery Imagery refers to mental pictures created by words.

Literal Images: the words are used to describe something directly by

appealing to one or more of our sensory faculties. 1. Visual images: they consist of things we can see.
The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright And this was odd, because it was The middle of the night. (Lewis Carroll)

2. Tactile images: they appeal to our sense of touch. 3. Auditory images: they suggest the sounds of things, usually resulting in an effect onomatopoeia (Words that imitate sounds or sounds that are linked with objects).

4. Olfactory images: they suggest the smells of things. 5. Kinesthetic images: they refer to actions or motions.

6. Gustatory images: they suggest the tastes of things.

Through the green twilight of a hedge, I peered with cheek on the cool leaves pressed (Walter de la Mare) Bow-wow, says the dog, Mew, mew says the cat, Grunt, grunt, goes the hog, And squeak goes the rat. Tu, whu, says the owl, Quack, quack, says the duck, And what the cuckoo says you know. (Mother Goose) As Mommy washed up and the children played, smell of warm butter filled the air. (Anonymous) A poem once stopped me on the street. I've got a poem stuck on my feet. A poem attacked me in the shower. I find a poem most every hour! (Mark Stansell) A mouse found a beautiful piece of plum cake, The richest and sweetest that mortal could make:

'Twas heavy with citron and fragrant with spice, And covered with sugar all sparkling as ice. (Iona and Peter Opie)

Figurative images: the words are used to describe one thing by comparing it

to something else with which we are more familiar. The poet uses figurative language to bring us new experiences, new visions, new ways of looking at the world. 1. Simile: a stated comparison, employing a connective such as "like" or "as". 2. Metaphor: an implied comparison, not directly stated with words such as "like" and "as".
"My love is like a red, red rose" (Robert Burn) In the morning the city Spreads its wings Making a song In stone that sings. (Langston Hughes) "The Night was creeping on the ground! She crept and did not make a sound" (James Stephens)

3. Personification: human qualities are given to an inanimate object, an abstract idea, or a force of nature.

Part B. Sound Patterns Most poems are written to be read aloud, and how they sound is as important as what they mean. Sound patterns consist of two elements: rhythm and rhyme.

Rhythm: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in language. `Rhythmical pattern in poetry is called meter. The smallest unit of rhythmical

1.

pattern is called a foot. Much poetry combines more than one rhythmical pattern to achieve a particular effect. 2. Nursery rhymes tend to have very predictable rhythms. For example, "Mary

had a little lamb", "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" (regular trochees; i.e., two syllables with the emphasis on the first) 3. When reading poetry to children, we need to be aware of the rhythm pattern(s)

a poem contains so that we can gain good effect from our reading.

Rhyme: the repetition of similar sounds in the two or more words.

One, two, Seven, eight, buckle my shoe; lay them straight; Nine, ten, Three, four, a big, fat hen. shut the door; Five, six, pick up sticks; Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

1. End rhyme: the repetition of the ending sounds in two or more lines.

2. Alliteration: the repetition of initial sounds in two or more words.

3. Assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds within words.

Hickory Dickory Dock, The mouse ran up the clock, The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory Dickory Dock!

4. Consonance: the repetition of consonant sounds within words, often with a variation in adjoining vowels.

A flea and a fly Flew up in a flue. Said the flea, "Let us fly!" Said the fly, "Let us flee!" So they flew through a flap in the flue.

Types of Poetry
Part A. Narrative Poetry Part B. Lyric Poetry

Part A. Narrative Poetry

Narrative poems tell stories in verse. A number of them are very old and were

originally intended to be recited to audiences, such as Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey".

For children, perhaps the most accessible narrative poems are ballads.

Traditionally, a ballad contains four lines, each with eight syllables and with the second and fourth lines rhyming.

Not all ballads follow this scheme, but all include a setting, character, and events

with a climax. The stories are often tragic and plaintive.

Examples: "The Broken-legg'd Man" by John Mackey Shaw, "The Ballad of a Bachelor" by Ellis Parker Butler Part B. Lyric poetry

Lyric poetry typically describes the poet's innermost feelings or candid

observations and evokes a musical quality in its sounds and rhythms.

Lyric poems exhibit an endless variety of forms. Below are some popular lyric

forms.

1. Haiku: a lyric, unrhymed poem of Japanese origin with seventeen syllables

divided into three lines. It is usually on the subject of nature and humans' relationship to nature. Successful haiku uses metaphor to give us a fresh and imaginative look at something we may view as quite ordinary.

The moon is a week old A dandelion to blow Scattering star seed. (Ruby Lytle)

2. Cinquain: a five-line stanza apparently of medieval origin, often with two, four, six, eight, and two syllables respectively in the five lines. Listen... With faint dry sound, Like steps of passing ghosts, The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break from the trees And fall. (Adelaide Crapsey's "November Night")

3. Sonnet: a very old form of poetry, having gained prominence during the Renaissance, but not found much in poetry for children. It contains fourteen lines, each line with five iambic feet (or ten syllables). Example: "The Children of the Night " by Edwin Arlington Robinson 4. Limerick: a five-line humorous poem, the first, second, and fifth lines rhyming and the third and fourth lines rhyming. It is one of the most popular poetic forms among children, The fun of the limerick lies in its rollicking rhythm and its broad humor. Imagine a skunk who proposes, To his true love, surrounded by roses. It may turn out just fine, When she falls for his line, But I wonder if flowers have noses?

(Sarah Fanny)

5. Free Verse: adhering to no predetermined rules, but usually with its own intricate patterns of rhyme and rhythm. It requires the same thoughtful choice of words and rhythmical patterns as the more rigid stanza forms. Example: "My Shadow" from Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses "Homework! Oh, Homework!" by Jack Prelutsky 6. Concrete Poetry: The words of a poem are arranged to form a pictorial representation of the poem's subject. Example: "Easter Wings " by George Herbert (1633), designed to suggest angel wings. "The Mouse's Tale" by Lewis Carroll (1865), from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Mother Goose Rhymes

Part A. Historical Perspective Original Mother Goose books share the characteristics of two types of literature: folktales and rhymes. 1) Folktales 1697 - Charles Perraults "Tales of Mother Goose" ("Contes de ma mre l'Oye") or called "Histories and Tales of Long Ago, with Morals"

was published in France. This book contained none of the rhymes associated with Mother Goose, but a collection of eight famous folk tales, including "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood ", "Little Red Riding Hood" , Blue Beard, The Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots, The Fairies, and "Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper, Ricky of the Tuft, and Little Thumb. 1729 - Perrault's tales were translated into English by Robert Samber. The words on the frontispiece were "Mother Goose's Tales". 2) Nursery Rhymes 1744 - The earliest known collection of nursery rhymes called "Tommy Thumb's Song Book" was published in London by Mary Cooper 1765 - The single most important promoter of the designation of Mother Goose as writer of children's rhymes was John Newbery (1713-1767). He adopted this name for a collection of mostly traditional rhymes: "Mother Goose's Melody" or called "Sonnets for the Cradle." The date for publication of this important edition is agreed by scholars to be about 1765 (1760-1766). It was a little volume, described as a compilation of traditional English nonsense songs and rhymes. It contained 52 rhymes each with its own black and white illustration. 1786 - Isaiah Thomas published the first authorized American edition of "Mother Goose's Melody".

3) The Term "Mother Goose" "Mother Goose" was associated with a mythical teller of nursery rhymes for young children. No one is sure where Perrault found this name. It may be given to a woman who, in early times, kept the village geese and who was the traditional community storyteller. Part B. Characteristics of Mother Goose Rhymes 1) Sources:

Mother Goose rhymes are derived from war songs, romantic lyrics, proverbs, riddles, political jingles and lampoons, and street cries (the early counterparts of todays television commercials). Few of these rhymes were initially intended for children. 2) Protagonists:

The heroes of Mother Goose rhymes typically come from the lower walks of

life. Examples: Old Mother Hubbard, Simple Simon, Solomon Grundy and Tom Tom the Pipers Son.

Those that include kings and queens are often comical and irreverent.

Examples: Sing a Song of Six Pence, Old King Cole and The Queen of Hearts (1, 2) 3) Violence or Fun? Mother Goose rhymes are often criticized for their share of violence. Examples: Rock a Bye Baby , Three Blind Mice , There was an Old Woman

who Lived in the Shoe, and Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater. However, the violence in nursery rhymes is not sensationalized. There are no terrifying elements and the context of the violence is not only fictional but absurd. It can be argued that this verbal expression of aggressive behavior may help children to vent natural hostilities and pent-up anxieties. In fact, it is fun to read Mother Goose rhymes. Their delightful nonsense and eccentric characters remain with us long beyond childhood.

Part C. Mother Goose Rhymes and Child Development 1) Cognitive Development

Learning Numbers and Counting , One, Two, Three, Four, Five/Once I

Examples: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe St. Ives Rhyme.

caught a fish alive, Ten Little Monkeys, Ten Green Bottles and As I was going to

Learning Alphabet

Examples: Alphabet Rhyme, A Picture Alphabet Rhyme, and The Alphabet in Rhyme and Song.

Developing Reading Skills (including word-recognition skills, vocabulary and

structural knowledge, and content knowledge)

Developing a Sense of Humor (appreciation of nonsense)

2) Aesthetic Development

Nurturing a Love of Sounds and Rhythms , Diddle Diddle Dumpling, For tongue twisters,

Examples: Hickory Dickory Dock, Humpty Dumpty

My Son John, and Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle Betty Botter.

see examples: How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck?, Peter Piper, and Developing Sensitivity to Pattern The idea of pattern forms the basis of much art, for pattern results in order and

beauty. **Listen to rhymes at Educational Activities Inc. 3) Social and Physical Development

Many nursery rhymes are based on cooperative play. They require physical

coordination and social interaction. Examples: Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake (a clapping rhyme), Bingo (a clapping

rhyme), and London Bridge is Falling Down (an action rhyme). ** See more Chants, Clapping Games, and Jump Rope Rhymes.

Part D. Illustrators of Mother Goose Rhymes

Alexander Anderson:

He designed and wood engraved the book Illustrations of Mother Gooses Melodies published by Evert Duyckinck and Charles Moreau in 1873. See There was an old woman, she liv'd in a shoe, Jacky, come give me your fiddle and Two Blind Men.

Walter Crane:

Between 1867 and 1876, Crane produced over thirty so-called "toy books". He took these books so seriously that he worked over every page, including the typography, so that it came out a well-composed whole. His "Babys Opera" and "Baby's Bouquet" (1877) were a series of English nursery songs with words, music, and pictures.

Randolph Caldecott:

Around 1878 he began to work on the picture storybooks. He transformed the world of children's books in the Victorian era. His illustrated Mother Goose rhymes in papercovered book form are among his loveliest and most original creations. 1. He is often described as the father of the modern picture book, being the first to really explore and experiment with the relationship between text and image. Before Caldecott, illustration generally duplicated the story conveyed by the words, but the two became fused together, making complete sense only when viewed as a whole. 2.His art is characterized by an economy of line and a playfulness of manner that make his work appealing even today, more than a century after his death. 3. The American Library Association annually awards the Caldecott Medal, which began in 1938 and was named in his honor, to the illustrator of the most distinguished childrens picture book published in the United States.

Kate Greenaway:

She illustrated the book Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes published in London in 1881. 1. She is best known for sugar-sweet pictures of innocent children and girls in bonnets. Her light, sketchy style was uncommon at the time, with the traditional illustrators trying to get as much detail and "verisimilitude" into their drawings as possible.

2. The Kate Greenaway Medal, sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in the U.K., has been given annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished childrens book published in the U.K. since 1957.

Blanche McManus:

She illustrated the book The True Mother Goose - Songs for the Nursery or called Mother Goose's Melodies for Children published in Boston in 1895. Her works have a comic touch. See Jack Sprat, Little Miss Muffet, Sing a Song of Sixpence and PatA-Cake.

Arthur Rackham:

He illustrated the book "The Nursery Rhymes of Mother Goose" for St. Nicholas Magazine in 1913. In his illustrations, there are earthy old witches and eerie creatures. His pictures are very alive with details and some of them are surrealistic. See Little Miss Muffet, Hey! Diddle, Diddle, the Cat and the Fiddle and As I Was Going to St. Ives. Blanch Fisher Wright: She illustrated the book The Real Mother Goose in 1916 and 1944. The lines in her works are clean and sharp and the characters are well-defined. See Jack Sprat, Humpty Dumpty, The Queen of Hearts, Pat-A-Cake, and Sing a Song of Sixpence (find more at Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes at byGosh.com).

Bob Staake:

He used the digital technology to illustrate Modern Mother Goose. See Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet, and Sing a Song of Sixpenceat BobStaake.com.

Teaching Poetry to Children

"Lovers of poetry are not born, but made through patient and careful nurturing."
Russell (2005, p. 188)

Part A. Children's Poetry Preferences Part B. Strategies of Teaching Poetry to Children

Part A. Children's Poetry Preferences According to Fisher & Natarella's (1982) and Terry's (1974) studies on children's poetry preferences, they found that

Most children preferred narrative poems over lyric poems. Limericks were the favored poetic form; free verse and haiku were not well

liked.

Children preferred poems that had pronounced sound patterns of all kinds, but

especially enjoyed poems that rhymed.

Children preferred poems with regular, distinctive rhythm. Children liked humorous poems, poems about animals, and poems about

enjoyable familiar experiences.

(cited in Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. 2005. Essentials of Childrens Literature, 5th edition, p. 49)

Such studies, however, can be dangerous if we rely on them entirely to determine what poetry we will share with children. We should try to broaden children's experience by providing them with a wide variety of poetry, but these findings can be used as a good starting point to select poems for children who have little experience with poetry.

Part B. Strategies of Teaching Poetry to Children

1.

Reading Poetry Aloud to Children Poetry should be introduced first and frequently to children in an oral form.

Most poetry is best read aloud. Moreover, children's oral language is the basis for their later acquisition of literacy.

Teachers need to practice reading the poems ahead of time and frequently.

Keep in mind that poetry should be read for its meaning and enunciated words clearly. Pay attention to the poet's punctuation and slow down your normal reading pace to give full value to each sound.

Some poems need to be performed and dramatized. Using your voice to

make special effects, such as variations of volume, pitch, and speech rate, and even a dramatic pause.

Brief encounters with one to three poems at a time are best. Too many

poems in one sitting may overwhelm students or make the reading tedious.

After reading the poem, be sure to announce the name of the poet so that

children discover the writers they especially enjoy.

Some poems warrant discussion. Children can take the opportunity to tell

how the poem made them feel or what it make them think about. 2.

Choral Poetry Choral poetry consists of interpreting and saying a poem together as a group

activity. Children enjoy this way of experiencing poetry because they have a participatory role in the activity.

Short, humorous narrative poems are good first choices. Options for reading a poem chorally include unison, two- or three-part, solo

voices, cumulative buildup, and simultaneous voices.

Poetry selected and arranged for dramatic choral readings on a particular

theme infuses an interesting variation into choral poetry.

Incorporating action, gestures, body movements, and finger plays can produce

more interesting and enjoyable presentation. 3. Learning to Write Poetry

Children need to be very familiar with poetry of many kinds before they should

be expected to compose poems.

Teachers often start the writing of poetry as a collaborative effort. The class

brainstorms for ideas and then composes the poem in groups or pairs.

Children's poetry follows no absolute rules; perfection of form should not be

a goal. They should be reminded that poetry is a form of communication and that they should think of an idea, feeling, or event to write about in their poems.

Teachers can encourage children to compile personal and class

anthologies of their own poems or their favorite poems.

Teachers can encourage children to model the works of professional poets

by attempting imitation of a whole poem or of specific techniques.

Teachers can read aloud many poems of one poetic form, and then analyze

the form to reveal the characteristics of its structure. See some poetry writing websites for children:
- Poetry writing with poets from Scholastic.com - Fern's Poetry Club from PBS Kids - Poetry writing from CanTeach.ca.com - How to write poems from Poetry Zone