Closed or "fixed" Poetic Forms

We spend a lot of time talking about free verse. But poetry has a tradition steeped in form and structure. Structure is harder to do well, but often more challenging and rewarding when done. It is definitely a craft-lover's art.

Using the internet, define the following terms and learn their patterns (I will be collecting this at the end of class on a separate sheet of paper):

• Form poetry (Fixed forms of poetry or closed forms of poetry)
• Poetic meter
• Sestina
• Pantoum
• Rondeau
• Cinquain
• Terza Rima
• Triolet
• Villanelle
• Haiku
• Sonnet

Go to these websites and find out what you can about form poetry. Try to play around with some poetic forms. Take notes of how to construct the form, then try writing a few form poems in various styles: (copy and paste address)

http://www.google.com/Top/Arts/Literature/Poetry/Forms/Fixed_Verse_Forms

thewordshop.tripod.com/forms.html

http://poetry.about.com/od/poeticforms

http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/CraftOfPoetry

http://www.noggs.dsl.pipex.com/vf/index.htm

Also: please type up (no need to turn in yet) your nature poetry from last class.