CREATIVE WRITING

UNIT 5: WRITING THE POEM

Introduction

A poem is a type of literary work that uses language and imagery to evoke emotion, convey
meaning, and create a unique and often musical expression of ideas, feelings, or experiences.
Poems can take many forms and styles, ranging from traditional forms such as sonnets and
haikus, to modern free verse and experimental poetry.

Poetry often makes use of figurative languages, such as metaphors, similes, and
personification, to convey ideas and emotions in a more powerful and evocative way than
straightforward language. Poems may also use sound and rhythm to create a musical effect, with
elements such as meter, rhyme, and alliteration contributing to the poem's overall impact.

Poetry can be written about a wide range of topics, from nature and love to social and
political issues. It is a highly expressive and personal form of writing that allows the author to
explore complex ideas and emotions in a way that is not always possible through other forms of
communication.

Types of Poems

There are many different types of poems, each with its own unique structure and style. Here
are some of the most common types:

1. Sonnet:
A 14-line poem typically written in iambic pentameter, with a specific rhyme scheme. There
are two main types of sonnets: the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet and the English or
Shakespearean sonnet.

‘O joyous, blossoming, ever-blessed flowers!’.

O joyous, blossoming, ever-blessed flowers!

’Mid which my pensive queen her footstep sets;
O plain, that hold’st her words for amulets
And keep’st her footsteps in thy leafy bowers!
O trees, with earliest green of springtime hours,
And all spring’s pale and tender violets!
O grove, so dark the proud sun only lets
His blithe rays gild the outskirts of thy towers!
O pleasant country-side! O limpid stream,
That mirrorest her sweet face, her eyes so clear,
And of their living light canst catch the beam!
I envy thee her presence pure and dear.
There is no rock so senseless but I deem
It burns with passion that to mine is near.

Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day?

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

2. Haiku:
A traditional form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines. The first and third lines
contain five syllables, while the second line contains seven syllables.
The old pond
A frog leaps in.
Sound of the water.

3. Villanelle:
A highly structured poem consisting of five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a final quatrain
(four-line stanza), with a specific rhyme scheme and repeating lines.

4. Free Verse:
A form of poetry that does not follow a specific rhyme or meter scheme. Instead, it focuses
on the natural rhythms and patterns of spoken language.
 T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

Let us go then, you and I,

When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question ...
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.

5. Ballad:
A narrative poem that tells a story, often set to music. Ballads typically have a simple rhyme
scheme and are often written in quatrains (four-line stanzas).

Annabel Lee

By Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love—
I and my Annabel Lee—
With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,

In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsmen came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,

Went envying her and me—
Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we—
Of many far wiser than we—
And neither the angels in Heaven above
Nor the demons down under the sea
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
 Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea—
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

6. Ode:
A poem that expresses deep admiration or reverence for something, often in a formal and
elevated tone.

Ode to the West Wind

By Percy Bysshe Shelley

I
O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,

Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed

The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low,

Each like a corpse within its grave, until
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow

Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill

(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)
With living hues and odours plain and hill:

Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;

Destroyer and preserver; hear, oh hear!

II
Thou on whose stream, mid the steep sky's commotion,
Loose clouds like earth's decaying leaves are shed,
Shook from the tangled boughs of Heaven and Ocean,

Angels of rain and lightning: there are spread

On the blue surface of thine aëry surge,
Like the bright hair uplifted from the head

Of some fierce Maenad, even from the dim verge

Of the horizon to the zenith's height,
The locks of the approaching storm. Thou dirge

Of the dying year, to which this closing night

Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre,
Vaulted with all thy congregated might

Of vapours, from whose solid atmosphere

Black rain, and fire, and hail will burst: oh hear!
III
Thou who didst waken from his summer dreams
The blue Mediterranean, where he lay,
Lull'd by the coil of his crystalline streams,

Beside a pumice isle in Baiae's bay,

And saw in sleep old palaces and towers
Quivering within the wave's intenser day,

All overgrown with azure moss and flowers

So sweet, the sense faints picturing them! Thou
For whose path the Atlantic's level powers

Cleave themselves into chasms, while far below

The sea-blooms and the oozy woods which wear
The sapless foliage of the ocean, know

Thy voice, and suddenly grow gray with fear,

And tremble and despoil themselves: oh hear!

IV
If I were a dead leaf thou mightest bear;
If I were a swift cloud to fly with thee;
A wave to pant beneath thy power, and share

The impulse of thy strength, only less free

Than thou, O uncontrollable! If even
I were as in my boyhood, and could be

The comrade of thy wanderings over Heaven,

As then, when to outstrip thy skiey speed
Scarce seem'd a vision; I would ne'er have striven

As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need.

Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!
I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!

A heavy weight of hours has chain'd and bow'd

One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.

V
Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:
What if my leaves are falling like its own!
The tumult of thy mighty harmonies

Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone,

Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit fierce,
My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!

Drive my dead thoughts over the universe

Like wither'd leaves to quicken a new birth!
And, by the incantation of this verse,

Scatter, as from an unextinguish'd hearth

Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Be through my lips to unawaken'd earth

The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,

If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
 7. Epic:
A long, narrative poem that tells the story of a heroic figure or group of figures. Epics often
have a grand and sweeping scope, and may be divided into books or sections.

Don Juan by Lord Byron

“I want a hero: an uncommon want,
When every year and month sends forth a new one,
Till, after cloying the gazettes with cant,
The age discovers he is not the true one;
Of such as these I should not care to vaunt,
I'll therefore take our ancient friend Don Juan
— We all have seen him, in the pantomime,
Sent to the devil somewhat ere his time.”

8. Tanaga:
This is a type of short Filipino poem, consisting of four lines with seven syllables each with
the same rhyme at the end of each line --- that is to say a 7-7-7-7 syllable form, with an AAAA
rhyme pattern.
Its modern counterpart, The Modern Tanaga, still uses the 7777 syllable count, but rhymes
range from dual rhyme forms: AABB, ABAB, ABBA; to freestyle forms such as AAAB, BAAA, or
ABCD. Tanagas do not have titles traditionally because the Tanaga should speak for itself.
However, moderns can opt to give them titles.
While the Tanaga is originally intended to be written in Tagalog, it has been written in other
languages such as English

Katitibay ka Tulos
Sakaling datnang agos!
Ako'y mumunting lumot
sa iyo'y pupulupot.

These are just a few examples of the many different types of poems that exist. Each type of
poem has its own unique characteristics and can be used to convey a wide range of emotions and
ideas.

GENRES OF POEMS

Poetry can be categorized into different genres based on the subject matter, style, and
format of the poem. Here are some of the most common genres of poetry:

1. Narrative Poetry: Narrative poetry tells a story or recounts a sequence of events. Examples
of narrative poetry include epic poems like "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," as well as ballads
and other forms of storytelling poetry.

2. Lyric Poetry: Lyric poetry is highly personal and often expresses the poet's emotions or
feelings about a particular subject. Examples of lyric poetry include sonnets, odes, and
elegies.

3. Satirical Poetry: Satirical poetry uses humor, irony, and sarcasm to criticize or comment on
society, politics, or human behavior. Examples of satirical poetry include the work of poets
like Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift.

4. Dramatic Poetry: Dramatic poetry is intended to be performed, often in the form of a play or
monologue. Examples of dramatic poetry include Shakespeare's sonnets and plays, as well
as other forms of theatrical poetry.
 5. Epic Poetry: Epic poetry is a long-form narrative poem that tells the story of a hero or group
of heroes. Examples of epic poetry include "The Odyssey" and "Beowulf."

6. Prose Poetry: Prose poetry is written in a prose format but contains poetic elements such as
imagery, metaphor, and symbolism.

7. Confessional Poetry: Confessional poetry is highly personal and often deals with the poet's
own emotions and experiences. Examples of confessional poetry include the work of poets
like Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton.

These are just a few examples of the many different genres of poetry. Poets may use a
variety of techniques and styles to create their own unique form of poetry, making the genre of
poetry a diverse and constantly evolving form of artistic expression.

SOME LITERARY DEVICES THAT CAN BE USED IN WRITING A POEM

Literary devices are techniques or tools used by writers to create a specific effect in their
writing. Here are some common literary devices:

1. Simile: A comparison between two things using "like" or "as."

Example: Her hair was as bright as the sun.

2. Metaphor: A comparison between two things without using "like" or "as."

Example: The world is a stage.

3. Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human things.

Example: The wind whispered through the trees.

4. Hyperbole: Exaggeration for effect.

Example: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

5. Imagery: Using descriptive language to create a picture in the reader's mind.

Example: The sun set behind the mountains, casting a warm orange glow across the
sky.

6. Symbolism: Using an object or image to represent an idea or theme.

Example: The dove is a symbol of peace.

7. Irony: A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.

Example: The fire station burned down.

8. Alliteration: Repeating the same sound or letter at the beginning of several words in a
sentence.
Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

9. Onomatopoeia: Using words that sound like the thing they describe.
Example: The thunder rumbled in the distance.

10. Foreshadowing: Hinting at future events in a story.

Example: The dark clouds on the horizon hinted at an approaching storm.

These are just a few examples of the many literary devices writers can use to enhance their
writing and create a specific effect or mood.

_______________________________
Learning Activity
Your MCO1 is to write a POEM using different literary devices. The theme can be personal,
scholarly, environmental, or social issues except intimacy. Be sure to craft a catchy title. For those
who will choose haiku/tanaga, they have to submit at least 5 poems.
Encode your output on an A4 size paper using Arial 12 with this format:

ANA V. CORON Elect 2: Creative Writing

BSE 4A 2nd Semester, SY 2024-2025

Type of Poem:
Genre:

LIFE BEYOND THE LENS

________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________

Submit the hard copy of your poem not later than March 1, 2025. Submit also a soft copy to
our Google classroom https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NjA3ODI1Njc5MDA5. Find your section
by clicking Classwork then upload your output.
Here is the rubric that will be used to assess your output:

5- 4- Very 3- 2- 1-
CRITERIA Excellent Satisfactory Moderately Poor Very
Satisfactory Poor
1, Form- The structure is patterned to the
guidelines of the type selected, such as
rhymes, measurements, lines, etc.
2. Technique- Effectively uses vivid
vocabulary, unique details, and figurative
language/ literary devices. Evokes a strong
response from the reader.
3. Originality- The writer's distinct unique
perspective is very evident; a highly creative
and innovative approach grabs the interest of
the reader.
4. Use of Convention- Free of spelling, &
punctuation errors. Grammar/vocabulary usage
is error-free.
5. Quality of Content- The message is
compelling, engaging, and very clear.
6. Theme- the theme should not fall on the
following: intimate, offensive, discriminatory, or
in any manner that will cause or promote harm,
embarrassment, or moral degradation
7. Timeliness – submission of output is: 2
days before the deadline (5); 1 day before the
deadline (4); on the deadline (3); a day after
the deadline (2); 2 days after the deadline (1);
3 days after the deadline (0)
Total