Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Core Analysis Frame: Poetry
Dig deep into any piece of poetry with a set of analysis questions. Ponder the content, form, and language of poetry and provide some question for critique. The first two pages include general questions, and the remainder of the document...
National Park Service
The Poet's Toolbox
If you need a lesson for your poetry unit, use two poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ("Rain in Summer" and "The Slave in the Dismal Swamp") and a resource on Elements of Poetry. The lesson plan guides you through activities...
Office of Migrant Education
Poetry: Form, Syllables, Mood, and Tone
Looking for a resource to introduce homeschoolers and other out-of-class learners to the elements of poetry? Check out this packet that defines and illustrates important poetry terms.
California Federation of Chaparral Poets, Inc
Poetic Devices
Have everything you need to know about the elements of poetry with a nine-page handout. Split into four categories—word sounds, meanings, arrangement, and imagery—budding poets may reference terms, read definitions, descriptions, and...
Curated OER
Poetic Elements
Poetry is all about sound and rhythm. The sound of the words, the rhythm of the lines, and the emotional atmosphere created by these elements and the literary devices poets use, compress whole stories into a few stanzas. The specialized...
Other
Craft of Poetry: Quatrain
Site from a college poetry class that defines quatrain, gives some examples, and discusses some of the more popular [variations] as passed through tradition.
Other
Lexiconic.net: Elements of Poetry
This resource explains how to approach an analysis of a poem. It discusses assumptions people may have, the importance of reading it closely before analyzing it, looking at the stanza structure, the type of poem, the sound patterns,...
Ted Nellen
Cyber English (By Ted Nellen): Stanza
This is a glossary entry for "Stanza" including the definition of the term.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Literary Term: Stanza
Contains a short explanation of the poetic stanza. Also defines Verse paragraphs. Unfortunately, no examples are given, but there are a few links to related terms.
University of Pennsylvania
U Penn: Poetic Terms and Types
Click on these terms for an excellent definition of these poetic terms, some from the Oxford English Dictionary. Includes types of poetry as well as terms.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Literary Term: Ode
The University of Victoria's English department gives a comprehensive definition of the "ode" poetic form. Short examples included.
Arizona State University
Alberto Rios, Arizona State U.: Glossary of Rhymes
This is a very extensive list of rhymes that "Occur frequently in discussions of poetry and critical writing, but not with absolute consistency." All have definitions, and many have examples. They are organized into five categories:...
Other
Bob's Byway: Glossary of Poetic Terms
Calling itself "unique," Bob's is easy to use, with cross-links throughout, phonetic pronunciation guides when necessary, and many examples and quotations. Click on the letter and scroll for the word.
Other
Lit Charts: Rhyme Scheme
Explains what a rhyme scheme is, the different types, its use in formal verse, rhyme schemes in single stanzas vs. whole poems, types of rhymes, and refrains. Includes examples of rhyme schemes. RL.9-10.5 text structure effects
Virtual Salt
Virtual Salt: A Glossary of Literary Terms
This site provides a long list of literary terms complete with full definitions and examples.
Emory University
Emory University: The Limerick
This site gives a good description of limerick. Features details about the rhyme scheme and the different forms of limericks. References to the bawdy nature of this verse form.