Understanding Poetry: A Flashcard

Front

What is an Epic Poem?

Back

A long, often book-length narrative in verse that retells the heroic journey of a single person, such as Beowulf or Homer's The Odyssey.

Front

Define Couplet.

Back

Two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by a rhyme.

Front

What is Juxtaposition?

Back

Placing two or more elements side by side to emphasize their differences.

Front

What is a Ballad?

Back

A poem that is typically a narrative and is meant to be sung, often dealing with themes of love or adventure.

Front

Define Haiku.

Back

A three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count, often focusing on images from nature.

Front

What is Blank Verse?

Back

Unrhymed iambic pentameter, often used in English dramatic, epic, and reflective verse.

Front

Define Sestet.

Back

A six-line stanza or a six-line poem.

Front

What is a Tercet?

Back

A three-line stanza or a three-line poem.

Front

Define Quatrain.

Back

A four-line stanza or a four-line poem, often with alternating rhymes.

Front

What is an Ode?

Back

A lyrical poem that expresses emotion and is often addressed to a particular subject.