Closed form poetry

Closed form poetry is a type of poetry that follows a specific set of rules, such as a rhyme scheme, a meter, or a stanza pattern. Closed form poems are often more structured and formal than open form poems. An example of a closed form poem is a sonnet. An Italian sonnet is a poem that is written in iambic pentameter and has 14 lines. The first eight lines of an Italian sonnet are called the octave, and the last six lines are called the sestet. The octave typically introduces a problem or question, and the sestet provides a resolution or answer. An example of an Italian sonnet is William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18." An English sonnet is a poem that is written in iambic pentameter and has 14 lines. The English sonnet is divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a couplet (two-line stanza). The quatrains typically develop a theme or idea, and the couplet provides a final statement or conclusion. An example of an English sonnet is John Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale." Open form poetry is a type of poetry that does not follow a set of rules. Open form poems are often more free-flowing and less structured than closed form poems. An example of an open form poem is Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself." The rhyme scheme of Sherman Alexie's "The Facebook Sonnet" (495) is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Alexie is saying that we are all obsessed with Facebook. We check it constantly, we post about everything we do, and we are always looking for likes and comments. He compares our addiction to Facebook to a drug addiction, and he says that we are all "hooked" on it. A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself but is actually true. An example of a paradox is "This statement is false." Marge Piercy's poem "Barbie Doll" is a feminist poem that explores the negative effects of the Barbie doll on young girls. The poem describes the doll as being perfect, beautiful, and unattainable. Piercy argues that the Barbie doll teaches young girls that they need to be thin, pretty, and wealthy in order to be successful. Sherman Alexie's poem "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is a poem about violence and horror. The poem tells the story of a group of teenagers who are attacked and killed by a family of cannibals. Alexie uses graphic language and imagery to create a sense of terror and suspense.

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