© Boardworks Ltd 20091 of 15 © Boardworks Ltd 20091 of 15 Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page Accompanying worksheet Flash activity. These activities.

© Boardworks Ltd 20091 of 15 © Boardworks Ltd 20091 of 15

Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page

Accompanying worksheet

Flash activity. These activities are not editable.

Extension activities

Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation

Writing PoetryPoetry

AudioPrintable activity

© Boardworks Ltd 20092 of 15

This is an excerpt from the “Writing Poetry” presentation in Boardworks English for

Australia, which contains 235 presentations in total.


Learning objectives


Read examples of narrative poetry, lyric poetry and free verse

Analyse and discuss the features of each poetic form

Write your own mini-collection of poems


Why write poetry?


Narrative poetry: ballads


In what ways does this poem conform to the rules of narrative poetry?

Narrative poetry: ‘First Love’

‘First Love’ by John Clare

I ne’er was struck before that hour With love so sudden and so sweet Her face it bloomed like a sweet flowerAnd stole my heart away complete.My face turned pale as deadly pale, My legs refused to walk away,And when she looked, what could I ail?My life and all seemed turned to clay…


Narrative poetry always tells a story. Using one or more of the pictures below to prompt your imagination,

write a short narrative poem.

Activity 1: narrative poetry


Lyric poetry

An example of a lyric poem is ‘Delay’ by Elizabeth Jennings. Read it then answer the questions.

What moment leads the poet to express her feelings in this poem?

What do you think the theme of this poem is?



Lyric poetry: sonnets and elegies

A sonnet is a lyric poem of fourteen lines in iambic pentameter, linked by a pre-set rhyme scheme.There are two types of sonnet: Shakespearean and Petrarchan.Sonnets often have love as their theme.

Elegies do not have a set form. An elegy mourns the loss of a person, place or object.

Sonnets and elegies are both forms of lyric poetry.


Lyric poem: sonnet


Lyric poetry: elegy


Free verse

Free verse is poetry that does not conform to a fixed rhythm or rhyme scheme. Many modern poets choose to use free verse rather than a traditional poetic form.

What do you think the advantages or disadvantages of using free verse might be?

Read and listen to this short free verse poem:

‘The Mosquito Knows’ by D H LawrenceThe mosquito knows full well, small as he ishe's a beast of prey. But after allhe only takes his bellyful,he doesn't put my blood in the bank.


Imagine that you have been commissioned by a publisher to write your own mini-collection of three poems.

Write one narrative poem, one lyric poem and one poem in free verse for your collection. Try to write about subjects

which you are interested in and which inspire you!

Writing poetry



Figurative language


Activity 2: use of metaphor

Create your own poem which uses metaphors and figurative language. You might want to include some of the

images you liked from the fruit machine activity.

You could write about:the moonrainlightningfire.

Share your poem with your partner.Circle one of their metaphors and explain its effect.

© Boardworks Ltd 20091 of 15 © Boardworks Ltd 20091 of 15 Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page Accompanying worksheet Flash activity. These activities.

Documents

poetry boardworks

lyric poetry

narrative poetry slide

lyric poem

boardworks english

examples of narrative

rules of narrative poetry

sonnet slide