Writing for Success
Types of Poems
Do you know the story
Vocabulary
Famous Poets
100

This is the term for a sentence that expresses the main idea of a paragraph.

What is a topic sentence?

100

This type of 14-line poem is written in iambic pentameter and is often divided into an octave and a sestet or three quatrains and a couplet.

What is a sonnet?

100

He writes letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to make sense of the racial injustice he experiences.

This author of The House of the Seven Gables is known for exploring themes of guilt, sin, and the supernatural in 19th-century America.

Who is Justyce McAllister?


Who is Nathaniel Hawthorne?

100

This term refers to the repetition of consonant sounds, particularly at the beginning of words, in a line of poetry.

What is alliteration?

100

He is the author of O Captain, My Caaptain and O me O life!

Who is Walt Whitman

200

A strong topic sentence should be clear, concise, and focus on this part of the paragraph, setting up what will be discussed.

What is the main idea?

200

This type of poem does not follow a regular rhyme scheme or meter, allowing for greater flexibility in structure.

What is free verse?

200

This character is tragically shot and killed by an off-duty police officer.

This character arrives at the Pyncheon home, bringing new energy and hope to Hepzibah and her brother Clifford.

Who is Manny Rivers?


Who is Phoebe Pyncheon?

200

This is the term for a group of lines in a poem, often separated by spaces, functioning similarly to a paragraph in prose.

What is a stanza?

200

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Who is William Shakespeare?

300

Topic sentences can also serve this function, guiding the reader from one paragraph to the next by creating these types of links.

What are transitions?

300

This 19-line poem features five tercets followed by a quatrain, with two repeating rhymes and refrains.

What is a villanelle?

300

This wealthy, white classmate of Justyce constantly makes racist comments and embodies privilege throughout the story.  

This theme is central to the novel, representing the lasting impact of ancestral sins and the weight of family history.

Who is Jared Christensen?


What is guilt and retribution?

300

This type of metrical foot consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, commonly found in sonnets.

What is an iamb?

300

Written in 1915, The Road Not Taken is one of this poets most famous poems.

Who is Robert Frost?

400

In an analytical essay, the topic sentence should reflect this, ensuring it presents an argument or interpretation rather than a simple fact.

What is a claim?

400

This poem reflects on death and loss, often expressing sorrow or mourning for someone who has passed away.

What is an elegy?

400

This is the central theme of Dear Martin, as Justyce reflects on his experiences and his identity in a divided society.

This event occurs when the ghost of a character appears to haunt the Pyncheon family, symbolizing the weight of their past.

What is racial inequality and social justice?


What is the curse of Matthew Maule?

400

This term refers to descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating mental pictures for the reader.

What is imagery?

400

A Valentine and THe Raven were two famous poems written by this author?

Who is Edgar Allen Poe

500

In an argumentative essay, each topic sentence should connect back to this, reinforcing the essay’s overall argument.

What is the thesis statement?

500

This 39-line poem consists of six sestets followed by a tercet, with a complex pattern of word repetition rather than rhyme.

What is a sestina?

500

This tragic event involving a police officer dramatically impacts Justyce's outlook on the justice system and his future.

The titular house itself represents this broader concept, reflecting the consequences of greed, ambition, and the legacy of sin.

What is the shooting of Manny by Officer Tison?


is the American Dream gone awry?




500

This is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem, typically marked by letters (e.g., ABAB).

What is a rhyme scheme?

500

She Walks in Beauty was written by this famous author?

Who is George Gordon Byron (Lord Byron)