Chapter 3: Developing a Poetic Vocabulary
A poetic vocabulary is simply the terminology or jargon used when relating to poetry. There are certain terms that apply only to this type of writing. Others are applied to writing in general and are explained here.
Terms
Stanza is the term for a “paragraph” or block of writing in poetry. In prose, writing that is not poetry, a paragraph is three or more sentences. Poetry may or may not use sentences, depending on the type of poem or poet.
Rhyme, of course, is a poetry basic. The end of each line in a poem will rhyme with the end of another line, usually the one just before or after it. Stereotypically, poems rhyme. However, this is not a requirement. You also have a choice about which lines rhyme or whether to rhyme words that are in the same line. How you rhyme is up to you.
Meter, or rhythm, is expressed with syllables. How many you use, if any, are determined by the type of poem being written or the creative whim. In other words, even without rhyme, poetry can have a definite beat. You, the poet, are the one who decides the tempo.
A draft is a version of your work. There will be more on this later.
Recap
Now you know about stanzas, rhyme, and meter which are a few of the basic terms used when discussing poetry.
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