Poetic Forms Poetic Forms    

Lesson 25: Visual: Cet Arbrisseau (This Shrub)

by Guillaume Apollinaire

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

The next poetic form we'll examine is the visual or concrete poem. Poets arrange the words of visual poems to look like objects or people, often reflecting the topic of the poem. Over the next four weeks, we'll look at four visual poems by French poet, Guillaume Apollinaire. The first visual poem is called "Cet Arbrisseau" (This Shrub).

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: A poem where particular letter spell out a secret message, often the first letter of each line.
7. Visual: A poem written in such a way that the lines form a pattern, usually related to the subject-matter of the poem.
8. Ode
9. Blank Verse

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 the poem relates to the patterns its words form.

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

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

Activity 4: Map the Poem

• Poet Guillaume Apollinaire wrote his poem in French.
• Find France on the map of Europe.

Activity 5: Complete Book Activities   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 28 of 'Elementary Poetry 6: Poetic Forms.'

References

Apollinaires, Guillaume. Calligrammes. Paris. Mercvre de France, 1913-1916.