Why is poetry special?
1 The importance and relevance of poetry
2 Themes and subjects in poetry
3 The poet's purpose and point of view
Understanding how poets create poetry?
The sounds of poetry
4 Alliteration
5 Rhyme
6 Rhythm
7 Onomatopoeia
8 Assonance, consonance, word sounds
Word pictures in poetry
9 Simile
10 Metaphor
11 Personification
12 Imagery
13 Symbolism and allusion
The shape of poetry: poetic forms and styles
14 Syllable poems: haiku, tanka, syllable cinquains
15 Couplets and quatrains
16 Ballads
17 Shape poems, cinquains and limericks
18 Narrative poetry
19 Lyric poetry
20 Free verse, blank verse, prose poetry
21 Dramatic monologue
22 Sonnets
Theory into practice
23 How to 'read' a poem
24 'Reading' poems: practise your skills
25 How to create your own poems
Useful poetry websites
Answers
Summary of definitions
Index of poems
Index of poets
Acknowledgments