unified collection of poetry

Directions for the Assignment:

This is a creative assignment designed to challenge you ability to apply what you have learned about poetry.

Make sure that you have reviewed the contents of these two links 8 Common Types of Poetry and Types of Poetry and Their Unique Features before you start writing if you have not done so already.

Create five (5) original poems ( poems that you write) that are unified (based on a similar theme, similar structure, similar form, etc.)

Your work should be organized as follows:

a title page (1) place the title of the collection in the center of the paper; 2) place the author’s information–name, address/contact information and date of composition in the lower right hand of the title page*

a dedication page- who are you writing the collection for, who would you like to honour, etc.

a table of contents page with page numbers

five unified poems –place each poem on its own page; also make sure that their page numbers coincide with the page numbers listed on the table of contents page

Note: You will not be using MLA formatting rules for this creative assignment.

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*I ask you to do this as this is the standard format used by authors who submit their work for review/publication submission

There are so many types of poetry sometimes it’s difficult to know what you’re writing or where to start. Learn all about 8 common types of poetry and how to write them.

Haiku
The haiku is a traditional Japanese style of poetry. These poems usually have three lines. They have 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the last line. Rhyme isn’t usually a trademark of haiku.

Traditional haiku are about nature and animals, but modern haiku spin-offs have all sorts of subjects. Try writing haiku if you love nature and want to practice capturing an idea in just a few lines.

Sonnet
Shakespeare may have written the most famous sonnets of all time. Sonnets have 14 lines and often written on the subject of love. They usually have ten syllables in each line. Sonnets always have some sort of rhyme scheme, but there isn’t a set pattern for rhyming.

While traditional sonnets are often written about another person, more experimental sonnet-type poetry might be written something else such as a pet or idea that you love. Write sonnets if you’re a bit of a romantic or if you always loved Shakespeare in high school English.

Free Verse
Free verse gives you as the poet the most amount of creative freedom. Free verse doesn’t have a set rhythm or rhyme scheme, and instead are just words painting an idea.

The lines between free verse and prose can be blurry at times. Here’s the main distinction: the language of free verse tends to be more emotionally expressive and decorative while prose tends to focus on getting across an idea efficiently. Free verse is a great choice if you like to just write whatever you feel like writing.

Limerick
A limerick is the fun birthday-card type of rhyming poetry. It’s usually a 5-line poem about something funny or entertaining. Limericks generally have an AABBA rhyme scheme. The goal is to use clever rhymes to express humorous or satirical ideas.

If you’re a clever or sarcastic person with a good sense of humor, try writing limericks. Just be sure to keep a joking tone and plenty of rhymes and you’ll be all set.

Ballad
A ballad is a form of narrative verse. That means it uses meter and rhyme to tell a story. There’s often 4-line stanzas with an ABAB rhyme scheme. Ballads were traditionally passed down as part of the oral storytelling tradition. Storytellers would memorize the poems and tell them to an audience.

That’s why ballads are known for their comfortable cadence and flow – they were often tweaked and changed as they were spoken. If you’re a storyteller and like to speak out loud as you write, you’ll write great ballads.

Elegy
An elegy is a poem about death or grief. It’s really more of a category of poetry into which any of the other styles on the topic are put. Elegies always feature some sort of serious or slightly morbid reflection.

Elegies aren’t the same thing as eulogies, no matter how confusing that may be. Eulogies are a memorial piece for someone who has passed, and elegies are a reflection on the topic of death. If you’re pretty serious and like to reflect on deep topics, maybe you should try your hand at elegies.

Cinquain
Cinquain poetry is an American style of poetry inspired by the haiku. A cinquain is 5 lines long with a set meter. They have 2 syllables in the first line, 4 in the second, 6 in the third, 8 in the fourth, and 2 in the fifth line.

They’re not known for rhyme – it can be difficult with such a syllable pattern – but a clever rhyme here and there never hurt. Try writing a cinquain if you’re a wordsmith who can call out a synonym for any word we throw at you.

Acrostic Poem
An acrostic poem is just plain fun. Acrostic poems spell a word with the first letter of each line. The goal isn’t consistent meter or rhyme, but clever wording that refers to the subject of the poem is always a good choice.

You should try acrostic poems if you want a fun challenge. If you can never think of what to write in a birthday card, try writing an acrostic that spells the recipient’s name.

Hopefully you’ve discovered a new style of poetry to try out. Stretching yourself as a writer by experimenting with different types of poetry is a great way to grow in your skills and become more creative. Let us know what you come up with!

8 Types of Poetry – Radiate Literary Journal (wordpress.com)
Types of Poetry and Their Unique Features
This is an article article by Jennifer Betts (Certified Teacher) that I thought you would like. She has provided great examples that I think will help you in preparing your own Poetry Collection.

Poetry, in its own way, is a form of artistic expression. But did you know there are over 50 different types of poetry? Outside of upper-level poetry seminars or in-depth studies, most educators tend to focus on seven common types of poetry. Learn more about these seven types.

Different Types of Poetry

The world of poetry is vast. From rhyme and meter to rhyme and imagery, you can find a little bit of everything in this writing genre. However, when you are learning about poems, a few different ones stick out. Popular poetry typesLinks to an external site. include haiku, free verse, sonnets, and acrostic poems.

It’s one thing to define each type; it’s another to enjoy a sample platter. Ready to open the doors to a world of verbal artistry? Let’s dive into some of the more prominent forms of poetry while we savor a few samples.

Haiku Poems

Traditionally, haiku poemsLinks to an external site. are three-line stanzas with a 5/7/5 syllable count. This form of poetry also focuses on the beauty and simplicity found in nature. As its popularity grew, the 5/7/5 formula has often been broken. However, the focus remains the same — simple moments in life. For more, take a look at these rules for writing haikuLinks to an external site.. Now, let’s enjoy two short samples.

Sick on a Journey by Basho

Basho is one of the haiku greats. He has several different beautifully composed poems under his belt. “Sick on a JourneyLinks to an external site.” by Basho is a great example of a haiku.

“Sick on a journey –
Over parched field
Dreams wander on”

5 & 7 & 5 by Anselm Hollo

In “5 & 7 & 5Links to an external site.,” Anselm Hollo demonstrates the 5/7/5 haiku syllable count across multiple stanzasLinks to an external site.. Explore an excerpt of her work.

“night train whistles stars
over a nation under
mad temporal czars

round lumps of cells grow
up to love porridge later
become The Supremes

lady I lost my
subway token we must part
it’s faster by air”

Free Verse Poems

The genre of free verse poemsLinks to an external site. is the least defined. In fact, they’re deliberately irregular, taking on an improvisational bent. There’s no formula, no pattern. Rather, the writer and reader must work together to set the speed, intonation and emotional pull.

This is Marriage by Marianne Moore

“This is MarriageLinks to an external site.” by Marianne Moore is a great example of free verse poetry. It demonstrates the lack of pattern and freedom of thought.

“This institution,
perhaps one should say enterprise
out of respect for which
one says one need not change one’s mind
about a thing one has believed in,
requiring public promises
of one’s intention
to fulfill a private obligation:
I wonder what Adam and Eve
think of it by this time,”

Little Father by Li-Young Lee

The format of “Little FatherLinks to an external site.” by Li-Young Lee contrasts “This is Marriage” considerably, as you can see in the excerpt.

“I buried my father
in the sky.
Since then, the birds
clean and comb him every morning
and pull the blanket up to his chin
every night.

I buried my father underground.
Since then, my ladders
only climb down,
and all the earth has become a house
whose rooms are the hours, whose doors
stand open at evening, receiving
guest after guest.
Sometimes I see past them
to the tables spread for a wedding feast.”

Cinquain Poems

A cinquainLinks to an external site. is a five-line poem inspired by Japanese haiku. There are many different variations of cinquain including American cinquains, didactic cinquains, reverse cinquains, butterfly cinquains, and crown cinquains. Let’s enjoy a sampling from the ever-popular Edgar Allan Poe, as well as a snippet from George Herbert.

To Helen by Edgar Allan Poe

You can’t look at a cinquain without checking out a great. “To HelenLinks to an external site.” by Edgar Allan Poe is a masterfully created five-line stanza poem.

“Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicéan barks of yore,
That gently, o’er a perfumed sea,
The weary, way-worn wanderer bore
To his own native shore.”

The World by George Herbert

And here you have “The WorldLinks to an external site.” by George Herbert. This poem explores mankind’s spiritual journey.

“Love built a stately house; where Fortune came,
And spinning phansies, she was heard to say,
That her fine cobwebs did support the frame,
Whereas they were supported by the same:
But Wisdome quickly swept them all away.”

Epic Poems

An epicLinks to an external site. is a long and narrative poem that normally tells a story about a hero or an adventure. Epics can be presented as oral or written stories. The Iliad and The Odyssey are probably the most renowned epic poems. But, let’s take a different direction and check out a sampling from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ezra Pound.

The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Check out an excerpt from the epic poem, The Song of HiawathaLinks to an external site. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It illustrates different stories of the Ojibwe.

“On the shores of Gitche Gumee,
Of the shining Big-Sea-Water,
Stood Nokomis, the old woman,
Pointing with her finger westward,
O’er the water pointing westward,
To the purple clouds of sunset.”

Canto I by Ezra Pound

And here’s another sampling of epic poetry, this time from Canto ILinks to an external site. by Ezra Pound.

“And then went down to the ship,
Set keel to breakers, forth on the godly sea, and
We set up mast and sail on that swart ship,
Bore sheep aboard her, and our bodies also
Heavy with weeping, and winds from sternward
Bore us out onward with bellying canvas,
Circe’s this craft, the trim-coifed goddess.
Then sat we amidships, wind jamming the tiller,
Thus with stretched sail, we went over sea till day’s end.
Sun to his slumber, shadows o’er all the ocean,
Came we then to the bounds of deepest water,
To the Kimmerian lands, and peopled cities
Covered with close-webbed mist, unpierced ever
With glitter of sun-rays
Nor with stars stretched, nor looking back from heaven
Swartest night stretched over wretched men there.
The ocean flowing backward, came we then to the place
Aforesaid by Circe.”

Ballad Poems

A ballad poemLinks to an external site. also tells a story, as epic poems do. However, ballad poetry is often based on a legend or a folk tale. These poems may take the form of songs, or they may contain a moral or a lesson. Enjoy some beautiful imagery in the samples.

The Mermaid by Unknown

“The MermaidLinks to an external site.,” written by an unknown author, has its roots in folklore.

“Oh the ocean waves may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow,
While we poor sailors go skipping aloft
And the land lubbers lay down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lay down below.
Then up spoke the Captain of our gallant ship,
And a jolly old Captain was he;
‘I have a wife in Salem town,
But tonight a widow she will be.'”

The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde

“The Ballad of Reading GaolLinks to an external site.” by Oscar Wilde is another great ballad poem. This poem weaves themes of the human condition throughout it.

“He did not wear his scarlet coat,
For blood and wine are red,
And blood and wine were on his hands
When they found him with the dead,
The poor dead woman whom he loved,
And murdered in her bed.

He walked amongst the Trial Men
In a suit of shabby grey;
A cricket cap was on his head,
And his step seemed light and gay;
But I never saw a man who looked
So wistfully at the day.

I never saw a man who looked
With such a wistful eye
Upon that little tent of blue
Which prisoners call the sky,
And at every drifting cloud that went
With sails of silver by.”

Acrostic Poems

Also known as name poems, acrostic poemsLinks to an external site. spell out names or words with the first letter in each line. While the author is doing this, they’re describing someone or something they deem important. Here are two examples to illustrate the poetic form.

Alexis by Nicholas Gordon

“AlexisLinks to an external site.” by Nicholas Gordon focuses on an intriguing woman he may or may not know.

“Alexis seems quite shy and somewhat frail,
Leaning, like a tree averse to light,
Evasively away from her delight.
X-rays, though, reveal a sylvan sprite,
Intense as a bright bird behind her veil,
Singing to the moon throughout the night.”

A Cry For Help by Samar Alkhudairi

“A Cry For HelpLinks to an external site.” by 12-year-old Samar Alkhudairi is an example of an acrostic poem that tackles the tough issue of bullying.

“Brutal beatings beyond the feeling of pain
Understanding this hurt might get me closer to being sane
Love is a myth
Life has become like a work of Stephen King
You don’t know what it’s like
I am treated like just some ‘thing’
Never to be kissed, comforted, or loved
Going the rest of my life never to be hugged”

Sonnet Poetry

Although William ShakespeareLinks to an external site. sensationalized sonnets, the word sonetto is actually Italian for “a little sound or song.” This form has grabbed poets by the heart for centuries. It began as a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter. Although flourishes have been made over time, the general principle remains the same. Read up on sonnet examplesLinks to an external site. to learn more about the different types of sonnets. In the meantime, let’s enjoy two great samples.

Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds by William Shakespeare

This sample, “Sonnet 116Links to an external site.,” is from the master himself, William Shakespeare. As with many of Shakespeare’s sonnets, it’s dripping in feelings of love.

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand’ring bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me prov’d,
I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d.”

Ever by Meghan O’Rourke

“EverLinks to an external site.” by Meghan O’Rourke is a more modern sample, published in 2015.

“Never, never, never, never, never.
—King Lear

Even now I can’t grasp ‘nothing’ or ‘never.’
They’re unholdable, unglobable, no map to nothing.
Never? Never ever again to see you?
An error, I aver. You’re never nothing,
because nothing’s not a thing.
I know death is absolute, forever,
the guillotine—gutting—never to which we never say goodbye.
But even as I think ‘forever’ it goes ‘ever’
and ‘ever’ and ‘ever.’ Ever after.
I’m a thing that keeps on thinking. So I never see you
is not a thing or think my mouth can ever. Aver:
You’re not ‘nothing.’ But neither are you something.
Will I ever really get never?
You’re gone. Nothing, never—ever.”

Fill Your Canvas With Words

That’s all poetry is. Some people paint with paintbrushes. Others fill pages with words that evoke colorful images. If you suspect you have a knack for poetic storytelling, then the gift is already inside you. Study each of these seven types. See which one feels closest to your heart. Then, when you’re ready to start writing, review these tipsLinks to an external site. and go on out there and paint your canvas.

Types of Poetry and Their Unique Features
This is an article article by Jennifer Betts (Certified Teacher) that I thought you would like. She has provided great examples that I think will help you in preparing your own Poetry Collection.