There are various reasons why people compose poetry. Some poems tell a story or describe a certain image in the reader's mind. Others try to convey certain feelings such as joy and sorrow. The distinctive characteristics of poetry often include economical use of words, descriptive and vivid language, integrated imagery, literary devices such as similes and metaphors, and arrangement of words, lines, rhymes, and rhythm. Poets use many different forms of poetry to express themselves. Now we will look at a few of the simpler forms.
There are various reasons why people compose poetry. 其中 why people compose poetry 是定语从句，修饰 reasons。why 是关系副词，相当于 for which。常见结构：the reason why... 或 reasons why...
Some of the first poems a young child learns in English are nursery rhymes. They are usually the traditional poems or folk songs. The language of these rhymes, like Poem A, is to the point but has a storyline. Many children enjoy nursery rhymes because they rhyme, have a strong rhythm, and often repeat the same words. The poems may not make sense and even seem contradictory, but they are easy to learn and recite. By playing with the words in nursery rhymes, children learn about language.
By playing with the words 表示"通过玩弄文字"的方式。by + doing 是常见的方式状语结构，表示"通过……方式/手段"。
Nursery rhyme — Poem A
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
If that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring turns to brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass.
If that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat.
If that billy goat won't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull.
One of the simplest kinds of poem is the "list poem", which contains a list of things, people, ideas, or descriptions that develop a particular theme. List poems have a flexible line length and repeated phrases which give both a pattern and a rhythm to the poem. Some rhyme (like B and C), while others do not.
the "list poem", which contains a list... 中 which 引导非限制性定语从句，对"list poem"进行补充说明，从句前有逗号隔开。
while 表示对比
Some rhyme, while others do not. 中的 while 表示"而；然而"，用于对比两个事物。while 在此相当于 whereas。
List Poem — Poem B: Only One Mother
Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
诗歌反复使用 Hundreds of（成百上千的）排比，最后以 But only one 形成强烈的对比转折，突出"母亲唯一"的主题。这是诗歌中常见的排比+转折修辞手法。
List Poem — Poem C: LIFE
Life can be good,
Life can be bad,
Life is mostly cheerful,
but sometimes sad
Life can be dreams,
Life can be great thoughts
Life can mean a person,
Sitting in court.
Life can be good, Life can be bad. 中 can 表示"可能；有时会"，描述生活中可能出现的各种状态。can be 常用于表达"有时会……"的含义。
Another simple form of poem that amateurs can easily write is the cinquain, which is made up of five lines. With these, you can convey a strong picture or a certain mood in just a few words. Look at the example (D).
Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that consists of 17 syllables. It has a format of three lines, containing 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. It is not a traditional form of English poetry, but is very popular with English writers. It is easy to write and, like the cinquain, can give a clear picture and create a special feeling using very few words. The haiku poem (E) on the right is a translation from Japanese, which shows a moment in the life of a delicate butterfly.
Haiku — Poem E
A fallen blossom
Is coming back to the branch.
Look, a butterfly!
俳句 — 诗歌E
一朵凋落的花
回到了枝头
看，是一只蝴蝶！
blossom
俳句（Haiku）的格式
俳句格式：三行，音节数为5-7-5。如本诗：A fal-len blos-som (5) / Is com-ing back to the branch (7) / Look, a but-ter-fly (5)。俳句通常描写自然景物，营造瞬间的意境。
English speakers also enjoy poems from China, those from the Tang Dynasty in particular. A lot of Tang poetry has been translated into English, such as this one (F).
英语人士也喜欢中国诗歌，尤其是唐诗。许多唐诗已经被翻译成英文，如诗歌F。
dynastyin particular
those 作同位语
poems from China, those from the Tang Dynasty 中 those 是 poems 的同位语，用于特指"来自唐代的诗歌"。those = the poems。
Tang Poem — Poem F
Where she awaits her husband
On and on the river flows.
Never looking back,
Transformed into stone.
Day by day upon the mountain top,
wind and rain revolve.
Should the traveller return,
this stone would utter speech.
Should the traveller return, this stone would utter speech. 这是一个虚拟条件句的倒装形式。原句为：If the traveller should return, this stone would utter speech. 将 should 提前并省略 if，构成倒装。这种结构用于正式/文学文体。
With so many different forms of poetry to choose from, you may eventually want to write poems of your own. Give it a try!
有这么多不同的诗歌形式可供选择，你可能最终想自己写几首诗。试一试吧！
choose from
with 复合结构
With so many different forms of poetry to choose from 是 with 复合结构：with + 名词 + 不定式（to choose from），表示伴随的状况。
要点摘要
介绍人们写诗的不同原因及诗歌的基本特征
第一种形式：童谣（Nursery rhymes），节奏强、押韵、易背诵
第二种形式：清单诗（List poems），灵活的诗行长度，重复短语形成节奏
第三种形式：五行诗（Cinquain），五句诗行，简练表达画面或心情
第四种形式：俳句（Haiku），日本诗歌形式，5-7-5音节结构
第五种形式：唐诗（Tang poems），介绍中国诗歌在英语世界的魅力
鼓励读者尝试自己创作诗歌
Using Language
WIND ON THE HILL & DREAM & A MATCH
山上的风 · 梦想 · 佳偶
WIND ON THE HILL
No one can tell me,
Nobody knows,
Where the wind comes from,
Where the wind goes.
It's flying from somewhere
As fast as it can,
I couldn't keep up with it,
Not if I ran.
But if I stopped holding
The string of my kite,
It would blow with the wind
For a day and a night.
And then when I found it,
Wherever it blew,
I should know that the wind
Had been going there too.
So then I could tell them
Where the wind goes ...
But where the wind comes from
Nobody knows.
Not if I ran. 是一个省略句，完整形式为 I couldn't keep up with it, not even if I ran. 在口语和诗歌中常用省略形式，使表达更简洁有力。
虚拟语气 — if + 过去式, would + 原形
If I stopped holding the string of my kite, it would blow with the wind. 这是与现在事实相反的虚拟语气，从句用过去式（stopped），主句用 would + 动词原形。
DREAM
Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams,
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
For if dreams die / Life is a broken-winged bird 中 For 引导原因状语从句。for 在正式/文学文体中表示原因，语气比 because 弱，通常不能放在句首。
暗喻（Metaphor）
诗歌运用了大量暗喻：Life is a broken-winged bird（将失去梦想的生命比作折翼的鸟）；Life is a barren field（将没有梦想的生活比作荒芜的田野）。暗喻不出现 like/as，直接将A比作B。
A MATCH
If love were what the rose is,
And I were the leaf,
Our lives would grow together
In sad or singing weather,
Brown fields or flowerful closes,
Green pleasure or grey grief;
If love were what the rose is,
And I were like the leaf.