Content of Poetry

• Content of poetry comprises the context or the author’s

background, the tone or the author’s attitude or personal
view toward the subject, the symbol or something used to
represent something else, the theme or what the poem is all
about, and the motif or the recurring idea in a poem.
• Individually, these components have distinct functions that
appeal to the readers, arousing their interest and stirring up
in them feelings or emotions such as love, happiness,
excitement, disappointment, brokenheartedness, among
others, or points of view regarding life, technology, beauty,
or any other subjects.
Context

• As content of poetry, context refers to the author’s

knowledge of the topic of the poem. When the author
knows much about the topic, he/she is able to write well
about it.
Tone

• Tone is poetry refers to the author’s attitude toward the

subject. Tone may be serious , enthusiastic, formal,
objective, dramatic, humorous, among others.
Group work

• Rizal is also known for his poems, most of which he

wrote while studying in a university in Manila.
• Provide the group a copy of the poem “Education Gives
Luster to Motherland”. Let the students read and
analyze the poem and answer the questions that follow:
Answer the following questions: prepare
to share your answers to the class:

1. What is the poem all about?

2. What is Rizal’s personal view toward the poem’s topic?
3. What specific events in Rizal’s life might have
influenced him in writing the poem?
4. As a student, did this poem affect you? If not, why? If
yes, in what way?
Symbol

• A symbol, which is one component of the content of

poetry, is something used to represent something else;
i.e. an idea, belief, etc.
• Through symbols, the author is able to go beyond the
literal meaning of a text and present ideas figuratively.
• For example, a “blooming flower” may mean something
that is constantly growing or unveiling itself beautifully.
• Let the students identify the symbols that Rizal used in
his poem.
Homework: Task 4 (page 60)

• Research on three excerpts from poems that use

symbols. Then write you own four-line stanza using the
symbols.
• You will be graded on the following criteria:
– Content - 20%
– Organization - 20%
– Use of symbols – 40%
– Grammar - 20%
Theme
• The theme of the poem is its general central idea.
• The motif is a recurring idea in the poem. The former
may be stated abstractly or explicitly while the latter is
always explicit and made obvious through repetition.
• Symbols aid in both the formation and identification of
the central idea of the literary piece. For example, the
symbols wedding rings, engagement rings, dove,
confetti, and rice would give readers the idea that the
central idea of the literary piece is marriage.
Motif

• Literary pieces may also contain recurring words,

phrases, or clauses. These are called motifs.
• A poem’s motif can help establish the theme of the
poem by giving the reader a clue on what the poem is
about.
In the example below, the motif or
recurring word is “Dreamland” and the
theme is about appreciation of
Disneyland.
• (Noun/one word) Dreamland
• Adjectives/two words colorful, delightful
• Nouns/three words fantasy, wishes, dreams
• Interjection/four words Oh my amazing Dreamland!
Task: Individual
• Name your favorite place. Describe it by writing a poem
using the pattern given below. Be sure to mention the
name of the place at least twice.
• (Noun/one word) ________________________
• (Adjectives/two words) ________________________
• (Nouns/three words) ________________________
• (Interjection/four words) ________________________
Assignment:

• Let the students write a local tourist spot poem.

• Situation: your local tourism office has just announced
that they have allotted one slot in their brochure for a
local tourist spot. Write a three-stanza poem about a
tourist spot you are proud of in your home place.
 Summary
• One has to have a good knowledge of what comprises poetry in order to write
poems effectively and efficiently.
• Poems include context, tone, symbol, theme and motif.
• The context refers to the author’s knowledge about the topic.
• The tone emerges from how the author views the topic.
• Symbols are also used by authors to provide a figurative taste of the poem.
• Themes can either be abstract or stated and can only be derived from a
complete understanding of the poem’s content, while motifs are recurring
ideas or words that are very noticeable.