Refining poems: harmony and dissonance
I can refine a poem by paying close attention to its harmony and dissonance.
Refining poems: harmony and dissonance
I can refine a poem by paying close attention to its harmony and dissonance.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Poets pay close attention to how their poems sound, as well as what the words express.
- You might like a poem for its harmonious sound before you understand its meanings.
- Angelou created harmonious sounds in her poems, often relying on rhythm, rhyme, repetition and refrain.
- When writing your own poems, reading your work aloud lets you to hear what sounds harmonious, and edit dissonant sounds.
Common misconception
A poem with a good rhythm always rhymes.
Rhythm is about the flow, beat and sound of a poem. Rhyme can sometimes develop rhythm, but it is not necessary.
Keywords
Harmony - in music, a combination of sounds that sound nice
Rhythm - the beat, flow, or pattern of a piece of music or writing
Syllable - the number of beats in a word; for example, "rise" has one syllable, "history" has three syllables
Dissonance - in music, a combination of sounds that don't sound nice.
Rhyme - repetition of similar sounds in two or more words.
Equipment
Pupils need access to a copy of 'Still I Rise' by Maya Angelou published by Penguin Random House in 1978.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
the beat, flow or pattern of a piece of music or writing
the repetition of similar sounds in two or more words
the number of beats in a word
a repeated line, or set of lines, in a poem