STRUCTURE and POETRY

An important method of analyzing a poem is to look at the stanza structure or style of a

poem. Generally speaking, structure has to do with the overall organization of lines
and/or the conventional patterns of sound. Again, many modern poems may not have
any identifiable structure (i.e. they are free verse), so don't panic if you can't find it!

STANZAS: Stanzas are a series of lines grouped together and separated by an empty
line from other stanzas. They are the equivalent of a paragraph in an essay. One way to
identify a stanza is to count the number of lines. Thus:
couplet (2 lines)
tercet (3 lines)
quatrain (4 lines)
cinquain (5 lines)
sestet (6 lines) (sometimes it's called a sexain)
septet (7 lines)
octave (8 lines)

FORM: A poem may or may not have a specific number of lines, rhyme scheme and/or
metrical pattern, but it can still be labeled according to its form or style. Here are the
three most common types of poemsaccording to form:

1. Lyric Poetry: It is any poem with one speaker (not necessarily the poet) who
expresses strong thoughts and feelings. Most poems, especially modern ones, are
lyric poems.

2. Narrative Poem: It is a poem that tells a story; its structure resembles the plot line
of a story [i.e. the introduction of conflict and characters, rising action, climax and the
denouement].

3. Descriptive Poem: It is a poem that describes the world that surrounds the
speaker. It uses elaborate imagery and adjectives. While emotional, it is more "outward-
focused" than lyric poetry, which is more personal and introspective.

Ode: It is usually a lyric poem of moderate length, with a serious subject, an elevated
style, and an elaborate stanza pattern.
Elegy: It is a lyric poem that mourns the dead. [It's not to be confused with a eulogy.]It
has no set metric or stanzaic pattern, but it usually begins by reminiscing about the
dead person, then laments the reason for the death, and then resolves the grief by
concluding that death leads to immortality. It often uses "apostrophe" (calling out to the
dead person) as a literary technique. It can have a fairly formal style, and sound similar
to an ode.

Sonnet: It is a lyric poem consisting of 14 lines and, in the English version, is usually
written in iambic pentameter. There are two basic kinds of sonnets: the Italian (or
Petrarchan) sonnet and the Shakespearean (or Elizabethan/English) sonnet. The
Italian/Petrarchan sonnet is named after Petrarch, an Italian Renaissance poet. The
Petrarchan sonnet consists of an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). The
Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quatrains (four lines each) and a concluding
couplet (two lines). The Petrarchan sonnet tends to divide the thought into two parts
(argument and conclusion); the Shakespearean, into four (the final couplet is the
summary).

Ballad: It is a narrative poem that has a musical rhythm and can be sung. A ballad is
usually organized into quatrains or cinquains, has a simple rhythm structure, and tells
the tales of ordinary people.

Epic: It is a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary
or historical hero.

Qualities of an Epic Poem:

narrative poem of great scope; dealing with the founding of a nation or

some other heroic theme requires a dignified theme requires an organic
unity requires orderly progress of the action always has a heroic figure or
figures involves supernatural forces
written in deliberately ceremonial style

Other types of poems include:

Haiku: It has an unrhymed verse form having three lines (a tercet) and usually
5,7,5 syllables, respectively. It's usually considered a lyric poem.

Limerick: It has a very structured poem, usually humorous & composed of five lines (a
cinquain), in an aabba rhyming pattern; beat must be anapestic (weak, weak, strong)
with 3 feet in lines 1, 2, & 5 and 2 feet in lines 3 & 4. It's usually a narrative poem based
upon a short and often ribald anecdote.

SOUND PATTERNS
Three other elements of poetry are rhyme scheme, meter (ie. regular rhythm)
and word sounds (like alliteration). These are sometimes collectively called sound
play because they take advantage of the performative, spoken nature of poetry.

RHYME

Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds. In poetry, the most common kind of rhyme is
the end rhyme, which occurs at the end of two or more lines. It is usually identified with
lower case letters, and a new letter is used to identify each new end sound. Take a look
at the rhyme scheme for the following poem :

I saw a fairy in the wood,

He was dressed all in green.
He drew his sword while I just stood,
And realized I'd been seen.

The rhyme scheme of the poem is abab.

Internal rhyme occurs in the middle of a line, as in these lines from Coleridge, "In mist
or cloud, on mast or shroud" or "Whiles all the night through fog-smoke white" ("The
Ancient Mariner"). Remember that most modern poems do not have rhyme.

Meter: the systematic regularity in rhythm; this systematic rhythm (or sound pattern) is
usually identified by examining the type of "foot" and the number of feet.

1. Poetic Foot: The traditional line of metered poetry contains a number of rhythmical units,
which are called feet. The feet in a line are distinguished as a recurring pattern of two or three
syllables("apple" has 2 syllables, "banana" has 3 syllables, etc.). The pattern, or foot, is
designated according to the number of syllables contained, and the relationship in each foot
between the strong and weak syllables.Thus:

__ = a stressed (or strong, or LOUD) syllable

U = an unstressed (or weak, or quiet) syllable

In other words, any line of poetry with a systematic rhythm has a certain number of feet,
and each foot has two or three syllables with a constant beat pattern .

a. Iamb (Iambic) - weak syllable followed by strong syllable. [Note that the pattern is
sometimes fairly hard to maintain, as in the third foot.]
b. Trochee (Trochaic): strong syllable followed by a weak syllable.

c. Anapest (Anapestic): two weak syllables followed by a strong syllable.

e.g.
In her room at the prow of the house
Where light breaks, and the windows are tossed...

From "The Writer", by Richard Wilbur

d. Dactyl (Dactylic): a strong syllable followed by two weak syllables.

DD

Here's another (silly) example of dactylic rhythm.

DDDA was an / archer, who / shot at a / frog
DDDB was a / butcher, and / had a great / dog
DDDC was a / captain, all / covered with / lace
DDDD was a / drunkard, and / had a red / face.

e. Spondee (Spondaic): two strong syllables (not common as lines, but appears as a
foot). A spondee usually appears at the end of a line.

2. The Number of Feet: The second part of meter is the number of feet contained in a
line.

Thus:
one foot=monometer
two feet=dimeter
three feet=trimeter
four feet=tetrameter
five feet=pentameter
six feet=hexameter (when hexameter is in iambic rhythm, it is called an alexandrine)

Poems with an identifiable meter are therefore identified by the type of feet (e.g. iambic)
and the number of feet in a line (e.g. pentameter). The following line is iambic pentameter
because it (1) has five feet [pentameter], and (2) each foot has two syllables with the stress on
the second syllable [iambic].

That time | of year | thou mayst | in me | behold

Thus, you will hear meter identified as iambic pentameter, trochaic tetrameter, and so
on.

3. Irregularity: Many metered poems in English avoid perfectly regular rhythm because
it is monotonous. Irregularities in rhythm add interest and emphasis to the lines. In this
line:

The first foot substitutes a trochee for an iamb. Thus, the basic iambic pentameter is
varied with the opening trochee.

4. Blank Verse: Any poetry that does have a set metrical pattern (usually iambic
pentameter), but does not have rhyme, is blank verse. Shakespeare frequently used
unrhymed iambic pentameter in his plays; his works are an early example of blank
verse.

5. Free Verse: Most modern poetry no longer follows strict rules of meter or rhyme,
especially throughout an entire poem. Free verse, frankly, has no rules about
meter or rhyme whatsoever! [In other words, blank verse has rhythm, but no rhyme,
while free verse has neither rhythm nor rhyme.] So, you may find it difficult to find
regular iambic pentameter in a modern poem, though you might find it in particular lines.
Modern poets do like to throw in the occasional line or phrase of metered poetry,
particularly if theyre trying to create a certain effect. Free verse can also apply to a lack
of a formal verse structure.
Determining meter is usually a process of elimination. Start reading everything
in iambic by emphasizing every second syllable. 80 to 90% of metered poetry is iambic.
If it sounds silly or strange, because many of the poem's words do not sound natural,
then try trochaic, anapestic or dactylic rhythms. If none of these sounds natural, then
you probably do not have metered poetry at all (ie. it's free verse).

If there are some lines that sound metered, but some that don't, the poem has
an irregular rhythm.

WORD SOUNDS

Another type of sound play is the emphasis on individual sounds and words :

Alliteration: the repetition of initial sounds on the same line or stanza

- Big bad Bob bouncedbravely.
Assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds (anywhere in the middle or end of a line or stanza) -
Tilting at windmills
Consonance: the repetition of consonant sounds (anywhere in the middle or end of a line or
stanza) - And all the air a solemn stillness holds. (T. Gray)
Onomatopoeia: words that sound like that which they describe - Boom! Crash! Pow! Quack!
Moo!Caress...
Repetition: the repetition of entire lines or phrases to emphasize key thematic ideas.
Parallel Stucture: a form of repetition where the order of verbs and nouns is repeated; it may
involve exact words, but it more importantly repeats sentence structure - "I came, I saw,
I conquered".

MEANING and POETRY

I said earlier that poetry is not always about hidden or indirect meanings (sometimes
called meaning play). Nevertheless, if often is a major part of poetry, so here some of
the important things to remember:

FIGURATIVE/CONNOTATIVE DEVICES

1. Simile is the rhetorical term used to designate the most elementary form of
resemblances: most similes are introduced by "like" or "as." These comparisons
are usually between dissimilar situations or objects that have something in
common, such as "My love is like a red, red rose."
2. A metaphor leaves out "like" or "as" and implies a direct comparison between
objects or situations. "All flesh is grass." For more on metaphor, click here.
 3. Synecdoche is a form of metaphor, which in mentioning an important (and
attached) part signifies the whole (e.g. "hands" for labour).
4. Metonymy is similar to synecdoche; it's a form of metaphor allowing an object
closely associated (butunattached) with a object or situation to stand for the thing
itself (e.g. the crown or throne for a king or the bench for the judicial system).
5. A symbol is like a simile or metaphor with the first term left out. "My love is like a
red, red rose" is a simile. If, through persistent identification of the rose with the
beloved woman, we may come to associate the rose with her and her particular
virtues. At this point, the rose would become a symbol.
6. Allegory can be defined as a one to one correspondence between a series of
abstract ideas and a series of images or pictures presented in the form of a story
or a narrative. For example, George Orwell's Animal Farm is an extended
allegory that represents the Russian Revolution through a fable of a farm and its
rebellious animals.
7. Personification occurs when you treat abstractions or inanimate objects as
human, that is, giving them human attributes, powers, or feelings (e.g., "nature
wept" or "the wind whispered many truths to me").
8. Irony takes many forms. Most basically, irony is a figure of speech in which
actual intent is expressed through words that carry the opposite meaning.

o Paradox: usually a literal contradiction of terms or situations

o Situational Irony: an unmailed letter

o Dramatic Irony: audience has more information or greater perspective

than the characters
o Verbal Irony: saying one thing but meaning another

Overstatement (hyperbole)
Understatement (meiosis)
Sarcasm

Irony may be a positive or negative force. It is most valuable as a mode of perception

that assists the poet to see around and behind opposed attitudes, and to see the often
conflicting interpretations that come from our examination of life.
Summarize "Footnote to Youth" by Jos
Garca Villa.
Dudong,17, is impatiently waiting for his father to return home so that he can
tell him of his love for Teang and his desire to marry her. He feels that at 17
he is a grown man and is ready for the next important step in his life. When
he tells his father that he has asked Teang to marry him and wants his
blessing, there is a long and cruel silence. His father asks if he must marry her
because Dudong is very young. Dudong resents his father's question, and
finally his father gives his consent.

Nine months later, Dudong is waiting outside while Teang gives birth to their
first son, Blas. He feels young and inexperienced, a contrast to how he felt
nine months ago. Dudong did not want any more children, but they came
anyway. For the next six years, Teang gave birth. Seven children in all.

Teang did not complain. However her body was now shapeless and thin from
bearing so many children and from the hard work of caring for them and the
household. Even though she loved Dudong, she cried and wished that she
had not married so young. There had been another suitor, Lucio, who was
nine years older than Dudong. She chose Dudong because he was so much
younger. Lucio had married after she married Dudong, however, he was
childless. She wonders if she had married Lucio, would she be childless? She
feels that would have been a better lot in life. But she loves Dudong, even
though life has made him old and ugly.
One night Dudong goes outside and thinks about his life. He wants to have
the wisdom to know why life does not fulfill Youth's dreams. Why did life
forsake you after love? He never finds the answer.

When Blas turns 18, he comes home and tells Dudong that he wants to marry
Tena. Dudong at this time is only 36 years old, but he is portrayed as a much
older man. Dudong does not want Blas to marry so young. He asks the same
question his father asked him. Does Blas have to marry Tena? He does not
want him to make the same mistake he did. Blas also reacts with
resentment. Dudong realizes that he is dealing with Youth and Love, and
they will triumph over this situation. After that, comes real life. He gives his
consent, feeling sad and sorry for his son.

He called this "Footnote to Youth" because a footnote is an additional

comment or reference on the content of the text. He is telling youth to pay
attention to the lesson of this story.

SUMMARY :

It was a story of a boy named Dodong who was only 17 years of age when
he decides to marry his love one and it was Teang. Dodong, love Teang so much
that he could not wait for the right age to settle down in a relationship that is hard
to escape. It's the "marriage". At the age of 17 Dodong and Teang got married
without thinking of the risk being in an uneasy part of life. They just follow what
they feel. They don't think what would happen in their future.

After of several months of living they got a child. Teang realized how hard
being a young parent. There are responsibilities that they need to work hand in
hand. Her regret of she had done and think, what would be my life if i marry my
other suitors instead of dodong? Can I have the same life as of now? She regrets
so much of!!

Until one day, when their son grow. He follows the footsteps of his parents.
He wants to marry also at the age of 17. He told his parents what his plans.
Dodong have nothing to do but explain how hard and how risky to be in "marriage
"at the young age.. But like Dodong before, his son also wants to pursue what he
wants.
 ANALYSIS
Footnote to youth is the title of the story. It is said that it is a footnote to
youth because it is a brief reminder for the Filipinos especially the youth of what a
real life could be today.
It also indicates the sources or the causes why youth act this way.
It furthermore adds comment, whether it is a positive or negative, on
todays generation.
It gives a warning for those apathetic youth that ones committed mistake
because of their stubbornness.
The predominant element on this story is the the setting. The setting
has a great impact because the story definitely empathizes the situations of a
Filipino person and it is appealing for us because we are at the poverty line.
The setting and the characters are most likely the same setting as today
generation.

REFLECTION
Even if your in love to someone, you have to think not once, not twice but
in a million times of the consequences that might happen if you decide to marry at
the very young age. Life is beautiful yet difficult if you are not ready to face all
consequences, if you do not have enough weapons to fight for the trials that you
might encounter.Marrying is not easy, because there are a lot of hardship like in
life. As parents, you have to exert more effort to have a better life so don't make
a decision that would make your life complicated especially if you are young.

Life is enjoyable if we do not make things complicated , We just need to

enjoy in taking steps towards our wonderful journey. Make a right decision, Do
not enter the kingdom of marriage at a very young age and without a stable job to
avoid regrets. Always remember, that God sets a right time for everything :).

It was a story of a boy who was only 17 when he decides to marry his love one.
He was dodong, and he love teang so much that he could not wait for the right
age to settle down in a relationship that is hard to escape. It's the "marriage". At
the age of 17 dodong and teang got married without thinking of the risk being in
an uneasy part of life. They just follow what they feel. They don't think what
would happen in their future. They got a child. Teang realized how hard being a
young parent. Her regret of she had done and think, what would be my life if i
marry my other suitors instead of dodong? Can I have the same life as of now?
She regrets so much of!!
Until one day, when their son grow. He follows the footsteps of his parents. He
wants to marry also at the age of 17. He told his parents what his plans. Dodong
have nothing to do but explain how hard and how risky to be in "marriage "at the
young age. But like dodong before, his son also wants to pursue what he wants.
The lesson we can learn is that marriage can wait the right time, if we want to
be in this stage of life, we must prepare ourselves against the risk of it. I know
we can all be in to it if we like too but not at the young age.

This would be a lesson for youth like me. Jose Garcia villa is a great write
because aside from having nice story; he also had the point of view where we
can have the knowledge of something related to what will happen to us.

Footnote to Youth By Jose Garcia Villa

Footnote to Youth
Jose Garcia Villa
Jose Garcia Villa
(August 5, 1908 February 7, 1997)
Footnote to Youth
Footnote
Characters
1. Dodong - Main Character
Conclusion
Mind your decisions because it might have two direction, the right and the wrong,
but once you are there chances are you can;t go back to where you are or where
you want.
Filipino poet, literary critic, short story writer, and painter..
National Artist of the Philippines - 1973
Guggenheim Fellowship in Creative Writing by American writer Conrad Aiken
- A note placed at the bottom of a page of a book or manuscript that comments on
or cites a reference for a designated part of the text.
Youth
( note - remark - annotation )
- The state or quality of being young, esp. as associated with vigor, freshness, or
immaturity.
( adolescence - juvenile - youngster - lad - young man )
Characters
2. Teang - Wife of Dodong
3. Lucio - Suitor of Teang
4. Blas - Son of Dodong and Teang
5. Tona - Wife of Blas

It is all about a man named Dodong who married Teang at an early age. Now that
his wife gave birth for their first song he was ashamed of being a young father. More
children came to him.

Then his son also got married at an early age like him.
Summary
Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to
change any and every part of your life in an instant. Anthony Robbins

Summary: Dead Stars by Paz Marquez-Benitez

(In which I transferred and extended.)

***

Oh what a shame! I havent posted anything for a long time. Though I did not want to
blame it to the fact that I was recently buried in a terrible work load and a painful
school schedule made more complicated by tasks and deadlines, I just cant. But
come to think of it, it wont hurt if I post the summaries and reviews that hinder me
from reading and blogging, will it? Besides, theyre still literature!

Dead Stars by Paz Marquez-Benitez

Alfredo Salazar was betrothed to Esperanza, his girlfriend for four years. The start of
their relationship was relatively warm, with Alfredo wooing Esperanza like a man in
dire lovesickness. But as the years went by, the warm loves fire slowly flickered.
And it was because of Julia Salas.

She was charming and gleeful. He shared moments of light but sometimes deep
conversations with her when the lawyer Alfredo visited Julias brother-in-law, who
was a judge. He always went there with his father and since it was his father who
needed to talk to the judge, he was always left to Julias company. He never told her
he was engaged. At first he didnt notice that a change in his heart was taking form.
But then he started keeping details of his activities to his fiance and then the guilty
feeling crept in. when he found out that Julia was about to head back to her distant
hometown, he felt blue and frightened.

He met her in church after the Holy Thursday procession, although he knew that
Esperanza was already waiting for him. He approached her and she conversed with
him with an expression that told him she finally knew. She congratulated him and
said she will be at his wedding. Then they parted.

When he visited Esperanza in her house, he overheard her talking to another

woman about infidelity and immorality, to which he reasoned in favor of the
condemned. The statement caused an intense fury to Esperanza and she told him
that she knew. She dared Alfredo to abandon her, along with morality and reason
and her dignity as a woman as well as her image before the society all for the sake
of his being fair to himself.

Eventually the wedding took place. And after several years, Alfredo was sent to a
distant village due to a legal assignment. It bothered him so much because it was
near Julias hometown. But he still found himself making his way to her house
despite of himself. And he found her there, just as how and where he expected her
to be. She never married. And he wondered how life would be if he ended up with
her. But all was too late and he could never bring things back. He also noticed that
Julia lost something, albeit the fact that he didnt know what that is youth, love,
luster? And when he looked at her he doubted if she ever cared for him, if he has
mistaken the past light in her eyes as manifestations of a possible romance. But now
theyre all gone. And so it was indeed all done.