Agenda

• P.E.T. Quiz – Clear

your desks, save for
a pen.
• Poetic Form Fridays
• “The Highwayman”
by Alfred Noyes
 Poetic Form Fridays - Ballads
• A ballad is a narrative poem. (i.e., tells a story)

• Often set to music. (e.g., love ballad)

• Contains a refrain
(a repeated element,
similar to the chorus
found in songs)
 Rhyme Scheme
To determine a poem’s rhyme scheme, look at a stanza (usually the first one) and pay attention
to the last word/syllable of each line. Assign each end rhyme with a letter starting with ‘a’.

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. a

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. a
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, b
And the highwayman came riding— c
Riding–riding– c
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door. b

We say, then, that the rhyme scheme for this poem is

aabccb
Refrain – Look for repeating elements
And the highwayman came riding–
Riding–riding–
The highwayman came riding […]

But the landlord’s black-eyed daughter,

Bess, the landlord’s daughter

Then look for me by moonlight,

Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight[…]
Th e
E nd