1.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL FOR POETRY
WRITING
ISLAMIC AZAD UNIVERSITY - CENTRAL BRANCH
Developed by :
(siavash.khademii@gmail.com)
Forouzan Dehbashi sharif (Ph.D.)
Siavash Khademi
Advisor:

2.
POETRY
WRITING
Although we all may hear of poetry in our life as it’s as universal as
language and almost as ancient, it may be interesting to know that
even primitive people have used it, and the most civilized have
cultivated it. People have read it, listened to it, or recited it because
they liked it--- because it gave them enjoyment. Initially, poetry
might be defined as a kind of language that says more and says it
more intensely than ordinary language. So, here comes the question,
how do we write a poem? to understand this fully, we need to
understand what poetry “says and consists of.”
Hello? (hello? hello? hello?)
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone home?
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3.
HOW TO START?
• First and easiest way to start is to read a
lot of English poetry so you get the idea
how a poem is written.You can then
start by imitating the form and style of
poets you like.This task below would
help you to take the first step toward a
beautiful road. Let’s start by the poem
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4.
TASK 1
"fire and ice" is a popular poem
by American poet Robert Frost
(1874-1963). it was written and
published in 1920, shortly after
WWI, and weighs up the
probability of two differing
apocalyptic scenarios
represented by the elements of
the poem's title.
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
I. Some say the world will end
in fire,
II. Some say in ice.
III. From what I’ve tasted of
desire
IV. I hold with those who favor
fire.
V. But if it had to perish twice,
VI. I think I know enough of
hate
VII. To say that for destruction
ice
VIII. Is also great
IX. And would suffice.
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5.
QUESTIONS
1. Which part of the poem indicates an apocalyptic
scenario by fire?
The poet tries to build two different pictures of the
world ending in them. Let’s analyze them carefully,
shall we?
Look at the first two stanzas again.
1. Some say the world will end in fire
2. Some say in ice.
2.The speaker weighs two different scenarios for
the end of the world by using the word ‘Some’ at the
beginning of the first two stanzas.What are the two
ways that the world will end in his idea?
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6.
Look at stanzas 3 and 4 again
• In this section poet is trying to talk
about his wanting or his desire of how
he wants the world to end.What is his
desire? How does he like the world to
end?
3.From what I’ve tasted of desire
4.I hold with those who favor fire.
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7.
Look at stanzas 5,6,7,8,9 together
5.But if it had to perish
twice,
6.I think I know enough
of hate
7.To say that for
destruction ice
8.Is also great
9.And would suffice
• If the world were to end twice, however, the
speaker feels that, based on his or her
knowledge of human hatred, ice would be an
equally powerful method of destruction—and
would do the job sufficiently
MEANING
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8.
QUESTION TIME
1. In stanza 5, the Word perish refers to him or the world?
2. When the poet says “enough of hate” what does he mean?
3. Atthe end, how Robert Frost describes the destruction by ice?
4. What is the stanza, you may think?
How would you write a poem yourself Like Robert frost? Let’s
play some games to understand that ;)
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9.
LYRIC
POETRY
• Have you ever listened to a song by
Frank Sinatra?
Yes, they are poetry too, lyrical Poetry
they are called.
• Modern lyric poetry is a formal type
of poetry that expresses personal
emotions or feelings, typically spoken
in the first person.
• Let’s first listen to “Fly Me to the moon
by Frank Sinatra”
• Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like on
A-Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me
• Fill my heart with song and let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you
• Fill my heart with song
Let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for, all I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words
In other words
I love you
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10.
TASK
Now it’s your turn, pick up a pen and write down anything that comes to your mind
with your emotions.
Start with this:
Drive me to the mall
let me shop everything I want
let me see how much money we got!
Come on, think about anything and start to write it down .
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11.
NARRATIVE
POETRY
• As its name implies, narrative poetry is concerned
with storytelling. Just as in a prose story, a narrative
poem will most likely follow the conventions of the
plot including elements such as conflict, rising
action, climax, resolution, etc. Again, as in prose
stories, narrative poems will most likely be peopled
with characters to perform the actions of the tale.
• As you can see here, Narrative Poetry is
storytelling, now you in a group of 2, first tell a
story to each other, one listens, one writes it
down.Then together try to make it a poem. Just
like the poem we have here.
TASK
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12.
DESCRIPTIVE
POETRY
• The definition of a descriptive poem is a poem
that uses detailed words to create imagery
of a person, animal, or inanimate object
Task
• Now, Listen to the poem,” I Think My
Dad Is Dracula” from the book,” My
Hippo Has the Hiccups” first.
• Now start to write a descriptive poem about
whatever you like, maybe last night’s
dinner? Just remember to use the details
and create an image for your friends.
• I think my dad is Dracula.
I know that sounds insane,
but listen for a moment and
allow me to explain.
• We don’t live in a castle,
and we never sleep in caves.
But, still, there’s something weird
about the way my dad behaves.
• I never see him go out
in the daytime when it’s light.
He sleeps all day till evening,
then he leaves the house at night.
• He comes home in the morning
saying, “Man, I’m really dead!”
He kisses us goodnight, and then
by sunrise he’s in bed.
• My mom heard my suspicion
and she said, “You’re not too swift.
Your father’s not a vampire.
He just works the graveyard shift.”
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13.
RHYTHM
• The word rhythm is derived from the
Greek rhythmos, meaning "to flow."
In poetry, this flowing quality refers
to the movement of words in the
poem. Poets use rhythm for four
specific purposes:(1) To increase the
enjoyment of hearing the language.
(2) To highlight and emphasize
specific words. (3) To create dramatic
effects. (4) To suggest mood
Task
First, read the poem, then try to write a
poem like this one and pay attention to
the rhythm of it.
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14.
IMAGERY
• Imagery is a primary element in poetry. It
encourages children to see, hear, feel, taste,
smell, and touches the worlds created by poets.
Poets use figurative language to clarify, add
vividness, and encourage readers to experience
things in new ways.
The Path on the Sea
The moon this night is like a
silver sickle
Mowing a field of stars.
It has spread a golden runner
Over the rippling waves.
With its winking shimmer
This magic carpet lures me
To fly to the moon on it.
Task
• Notice the use of the
word like in the first line.
What are the commonalities
between a silver sickle and
a new moon?
• Where poet uses a metaphor
here?
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15.
METAPHOR
AND SIMILE
• Metaphors make comparisons between
things by stating that one thing literally is
something else. Metaphors are used to bring
clarity to ideas by forming connections.
Often, metaphors reveal implicit similarities
between two things or concepts
Examples
She’s an old flame
Time is money
Life is a rollercoaster
• Simile: Unlike metaphors that make
comparisons by saying one
thing is something else, similes work by
saying something is similar to
something else.They commonly come
in two forms.Those that make a
comparison using ‘as’ and those that
make a comparison using ‘like’
Examples
She is as strong as an ox
She sings like a nightingale
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16.
TASK
1. Write down 5 metaphors that we use in everyday life
2. Write down 5 similes that you have heard
3. Now, with these metaphors and similes, first put words and
sentences together without any rhyme and write them
down on a paper
4. Now try to remove words to make it a poem like
5. So what is your poem like? Read it for your friend
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17.
ANSWER KEYS
Slide 5
1. The first stanza indicates the apocalyptic
scenario
2. two ways: one is the world will burn in fire,
and Another way is the world freeze.
3. Ice and Fire indicates two apocalypses
Slide 6
In stanzas 3 and 4 poet tries to say that Based on
the speaker's experiences with desire, he tends to
agree with those who believe a fire is a more
likely scenario.
 Slide 8
1. The world
4. In poetry, a stanza is a group of lines within
a poem, usually set off from others by a blank
line or indentation.
 Slide 13
The sea is presented as large and dangerous. The author
describes the sea as “giant and grey”. The use of the adjective
“giant” makes the reader think of danger and something
overpowering, showing that the sea is strong and harmful. The
sea's sound is presented as loud through the metaphor of the
dog.

18.
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