ENGLISH 7
Lesson 3: Style, Patterns, and Motifs
Unlocking of Vocabulary
Activity 1.
Directions: Read each sentence. Then, choose the meaning of the underlined word from the
given options. Write only the letter of the best answer on the line before each number.
1. The diamond ring sits so beautifully on her slender finger.
a. unhealthily thin
b. gracefully thin
c. painfully thin
2. The flame coming from the candle on the altar gives off a yellowish luminance.
a. the heat given off by something
b. the color or hue resulting from heat
c. the intensity of light emitted from a surface
3. The bees hover over the sunflowers in the garden.
a. hang
b. avoid
c. go away
4. Walking through the forest at sunset felt utterly magical.
a. happening by accident
b. full of wonder or enchantment
c. very noisy
d. extremely ordinary
5. When making tough decisions in life, I rely on my wisdom to guide me.
a. daily habits and routines
b. formal education degrees
c. the ability to use knowledge and good judgment
d. speed or quickness
First, A Poem Must Be Magical
By Jose Garcia Villa
Guide Questions:
1. What are the tangible things that the author
First, a poem must be magical,
Then musical as a seagull. compared a
It must be a brightness moving poem with?
And hold secret a bird’s flowering 2. The first two lines say that a poem must be
It must be slender as a bell, “magical” and
And it must hold fire as well. “musical.” What does this mean?
3. How can a poem “hold secret a bird’s flowering”?
It must have the wisdom of bows 4. Why do poems need to “have the wisdom of
And it must kneel like a rose. bows”?
It must be able to hear
5. How can a poem hear luminance?
The luminance of dove and deer.
It must be able to hide 6. What do you think the last two lines of the poem
What it seeks, like a bride. mean?
And over all I would like to hover 7. Which of the couplets in the poem is most difficult
God, smiling from the poem’s cover. for you
to understand? Why?
Poets also show their style in writing. Style pertains to the poet’s unique way of using language,
imagery, structure, and other poetic elements to create a particular atmosphere in their work.
This makes their poetry distinct. If readers recognize the poet’s style, it is easier for them to
connect with the poem.
Moreover, patterns in poetry refer to the structure within a poem that creates a sense of
organization and rhythm. These patterns are shown through the following:
1. Rhyme scheme – It is the arrangement of rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem. The
common rhyme schemes are AABB and ABAB.
Examples:
First, a poem must be magical, (A)
Then musical as a seagull. (A)
It must be a brightness moving (B)
And hold secret a bird’s flowering (B)
It must be slender as a bell, (A)
And it must hold fire as well. (A)
It must have the wisdom of bows (B)
AABB And it must kneel like a rose. (B)
It must be able to hear (A)
The luminance of dove and deer. (A)
It must be able to hide (B)
What it seeks, like a bride. (B)
And over all I would like to hover (A)
God, smiling from the poem’s cover. (A)
The trees in the forest look grand (A)
ABAB What a green and lush display (B)
Their leaves brush the land (A)
The wind makes them dance and sway. (B)
2. Meter – It is the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. A
stressed syllable is a syllable that is given emphasis in a word or within a line of poetry. It is used
to create a rhythmic structure of a poetic line. There are two components of a meter:
1. the number of syllables
2. the pattern of emphasis on the syllables
A foot in a poetic line is an individual unit which has a specific number of syllables and a specific
pattern of emphasis.
Example:
The FLYing BIRDS have JOYful song,
Their MElodies are SWEET and STRONG.
3. Repetition – It is the reuse of words, phrases, sounds, or lines within a poem. It can emphasize
key ideas or create a musical quality.
Example:
The trees in the forest, they stand so tall,
Tall guardians, they protect us all.
4. Stanza structure – It is the arrangement of lines into stanzas. Poems can have different
lengths of stanzas. This helps poets achieve visual and structural effects.
Monostich – This is a one-line stanza. It can also be an entire poem.
Couplet – This is a stanza with two lines that rhyme.
Tercet – This a stanza with three lines. This can follow the ABA rhyming pattern.
Quatrain – This is a stanza with four lines where the second and the fourth lines rhyme.
5. Punctuation – It is the placement and use of punctuation marks, such as dashes, ellipses,
colons, commas, etc. This can affect the poem’s pacing and meaning.
Lastly, motifs talk about the themes and ideas that add to the poems’ meaning or message. The
usual motifs in poetry are love, nature, death, war, time, and the like.
Remember, patterns and motifs work together to enhance the poem. They help create an
engaging experience for the readers.
ACTIVITY 2.
Directions: Evaluate the poem below. Answer the questions that follow.
Through Thick and Thin
Anonymous
Our friendship has warm and In beautiful moments of care,
gentle embrace. My life’s burden becomes light
We create memories that time as air.
won’t erase. Through thick and thin, you
Through thick and thin, we go. are there.
You are always on my side, I There are a lot of moments we
know. share.
1. What is the title of the poem?
2. How many stanzas are there?
3. What rhyme scheme is used in the poem?
4. What are the pairs of words that rhyme?
5. What is the poem all about?
ACTIVITY 3.
Directions: Analyze the poem carefully. List down pairs of words that rhyme from the poem.
Race With Seagulls
By Bienvenido N. Santos
Father, at whatever address you now reside
Spare me the embarrassment of hearing you again.
Frankly, I have known better performers who stride
Anthills not mountains like you and carry the pain
With the grace of ants, who have had their share of blind
Spells and visions, who are good at pretending
Their eloquence is a gift of silence, the kind
That touches like a salve and soothes without healing.
Forgive me for saying this, Father you are old
And repeat yourself as you did in the story
About your chance meeting with God, the hoke he told
At his expense and how debonair, how very
Very friend, laughing so loud tears filled his eyes
And death, drawn by the bise, looked in, quickly withdrew
On seeing you, guessed who you were in your disguise,
My father, who else, actor mask make, he knew,
As everyone does who has caught your act for free.
Besides, nobody listens now – I must push on
Before the seagulls get there ahead of me
And leave me nothing more substantial than a bone.
ACTIVITY 4
A. Directions: Match the descriptions in column A with the correct terminology in column B. Write
the letter of the correct answer on the line before each number.
1. It is the arrangement of rhyming words at the end of lines in a. meter
a poem.
2. It is the reuse of words, phrases, sounds, or lines within a b. rhyme scheme
poem.
3. It is the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables c. repetition
in a line of poetry.
4. It is the placement and use of dashes, ellipses, colons, d. style
commas, etc.
5. It is the poet’s unique way of using language, imagery, e. punctuation
structure, and other poetic elements in order to create a
particular atmosphere in their work.
B. Directions: Analyze the poem and complete the table that follows.
Motherhood
By Ria Karla A. Formentera
A cocoon Flower to flower
Unstirring under the silver moon Away by the hour
Now in a soft protection Iridescent wings
Soon will be in full pupation Distance quite stings
Wings will spread A cocoon
Life will be led Unstirring under the silver moon
Skies are so close My love is your protection
Borders no one knows In life’s swift transformations
Rhyme Scheme
Meter (number of
syllables in each
line)
Stanza Structure
Repetition (words
that repeat in the
poem)
Motif (suggested
theme)