Advanced Poetic Techniques

Structure: Definition And Examples Of Structure In Poetry

The structure of a poem refers to how it was crafted. A poem with strong structure allows the reader to move easily from beginning to end, helping to create a particular response within the reader.

Structure In Poetry

Tynea Lewis By more by Tynea Lewis

What is structure in a poem?

The structure of a poem refers to the way it is presented to the reader. This could include technical things such as the line length and stanza format. Or it could include the flow of the words used and ideas conveyed.

  • Line length
    Line length shows the reader how it should be read. Short lines are usually read faster, with more emotion. Longer lines slow down the pace of a poem. Choosing appropriate line breaks gives a reader a chance to take a natural breath.
  • Stanzas
    Stanzas, the groups of lines, are like paragraph in prose. They contain a central idea. Having multiple stanzas gives readers a chance to focus on multiple ideas. Think about a page with writing. Is it more manageable to read it if all the words flow together as one paragraph or if they are broken apart into appropriate paragraphs? The same works with poetry.
  • Consistency
    Structure also refers to the consistency used throughout the poem. An author might start each line with a certain part of speech, or a repeated line or phrase is used at the same spot in each stanza.

When a poem has a strong sense of structure, it flows from beginning to end, and the ideas are easily conveyed.

Examples of poems with a strong structure

Advertisement

ABOUT THE POET:

Tynea Lewis is an editor for Family Friend Poems and helped to develop the National Poetry Month Resources for Family Friend Poems. She started her career as an elementary teacher and has had a passion for writing since she was in 1st grade.

For over a decade, she was the...

Read More

more by Tynea Lewis

  • Stories 0
  • Shares 401
  • Favorited 7
  • Votes 905
  • Rating 3.90

Back to Top