Poetic Forms Poetic Forms    

Lesson 20: Epitaph: The Clockmaker

by Unknown

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read the poem each day.
• Review the synopsis.
• Read about the poetic form.
• Complete the enrichment activities.

Synopsis

Thomas Hinde was a young clockmaker who passed away at the age of 19. His epitaph is a metaphor comparing Thomas Hinde to a broken clock that will be repaired by a higher power.

Concepts

Poems often adhere to specific poetic forms, defined as 'poems following distinct sets of rules.'

The nine poetic forms we'll study include the:

1. Sijo: A lyrical Korean poetic form of three long lines.
2. Haiku: A Japanese poem of three lines and a total of seventeen syllables.
3. Limerick: A humorous poem of five lines and the rhyming scheme AABBA, typically having syllables of 9–9–6–6–9.
4. Sonnet: A poetic form of fourteen lines that follow one of a few common rhyming schemes.
5. Epitaph: A poem honoring the deceased, engraved on a burial marker or tomb.
6. Acrostic
7. Visual
8. Ode
9. Blank Verse

Epitaphs follow the listed rules:

1. Honor the deceased
2. Relatively short - the shorter the better
3. Inscribed on a burial marker or tomb

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Poem Title, Poet Name, and Poem

• Each day this week, recite aloud the title of the poem, the name of the poet, and the poem.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture

Study the poem picture and describe how it relates to the poem.

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

• After reading the poem, narrate the poem events aloud using your own words.

Activity 4: Map the Poem

• The lesson epitaph was engraved on a headstone in the Bolsover churchyard in Derbyshire, United Kingdom.
• Find the city of Derby within Derbyshire on the map of the United Kingdom.

Activity 5: Identify the Metaphors in the Examples

Read aloud the metaphors below. Note that metaphors make a comparison like a simile but do not use 'as' and 'like.'

• Her fingernails were sharpened scissors. (fingernails compared to scissors)
• His nose was a sharp-peaked mountain. (nose compared to mountain)
• The mower tamed the overgrown jungle entangling the backyard. (yard/grass compared to jungle)
• The fairy princess twirled in her Halloween costume. (person compared to fairy princess)
• Her runny nose was a faucet. (runny nose compared to faucet)

Activity 6: Complete Book Activities   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 23 of 'Elementary Poetry 6: Poetic Forms.'

References

Andrews, William. Curious Epitaphs. London. Little, William Andrews and Company, 1899.

'Epitaph.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.