Question

How does the structure of a poem affect its meaning?

Answer 1

Poetry is literature written in stanzas and lines that uses rhythm to express feelings and ideas. Poets will pay particular attention to the length, placement and grouping of lines and stanzas. This is called form. Lines or whole stanzas can be rearranged in order to create a specific effect on the reader. One example is the sonnet, which is a 14 line poem with a specific rhyme scheme. The key with sonnets is that most end with a pair of lines set apart from the rest. Setting these two lines aside gives emphasis to their content, so whatever message is being sent will be given more importance. Another aspect of the structure of poems is the rhythm, which is the beat of the poem. This is usually measured in meters, which are sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. Poets often arrange words according to meter in order to create specific sounds or beats. Think about any song (which is a type of poem) that you sing along to. Think about the rhythm of the music and the words. Is the singer angry? Or sad? The notes and meter might at first be fast, harsh, or short, while later it might be slow, soft, and drawn-out. These rhythms affect the overall message.

Answer 2

Generally speaking, the structure of the poem has to do with the overall organization of the thought and the lines. The structure also suggest the conventional pattern of sound that may be used by the reader to convey the message of the poem.