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What is poetry? |
Definitions
Poetry is a type of art, but it doesn’t use paint or markers, at least not most of the time. Instead, it uses words! A lot of times, when people think of poetry, they think of writing where the last word or sounds of one line rhyme with another line. An example of that would be “Roses are red. Violets are blue. / Sugar is sweet, and so are you!”
“Blue” and “you” rhyme, and that is a poem—but it’s only one type.
Poetry doesn’t have to rhyme. It doesn’t have to follow a regular rhythm when it’s read aloud. A poem (what we call a piece of poetry) can take many forms! What’s important is that the poem uses sounds, words, and rhythms to make the listener or reader feel a certain way. Poems can make you excited. They might make you sad. They might inspire you to do something wonderful. They might take your imagination on a journey. Poems really show us how powerful words can be!
Some famous poets that you might have heard of are Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Edgar Allan Poe. Shel Silverstein is a great poet for kids.
A Way With Words
Have you ever written a poem? They can be a great way to capture how you feel. One type of poem is called an acrostic. To make an acrostic, you pick a word or a name that the poem is going to be about. Then, you use each letter of that word or name to start a line of the poem. Try making one with your name. If your name is “Brian,” your acrostic might look like this:
Born in Boston
Reads a lot
Is a fan of ice cream
Always optimistic
Needs more sleep
What will your acrostic poem say?
