a tool that an author employs (or uses) to help the reader visualize (or see) what is happening in a story or poem. Some common types of figurative language are simile, metaphor, alliteration, onomatopoeia, idiom, puns, and sensory language.

A simile is a comparison using like or as. It usually compares two dissimilar objects. For example: Those girls are like two peas in a pod. The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves. Ted was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs. As the teacher entered the room she muttered under her breath, "This class is like a three-ring circus!"

A metaphor states that one thing IS something else. It is a comparison, but it DOES NOT USE like or as to make the comparison. For example: The giant’s steps were thunder as he ran toward Jack. The fluorescent light was the sun during our test. The bar of soap was a slippery eel during the dog’s bath. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day.

Alliteration is the repetition of the beginning consonant sound. There should be at least two repetitions in a row. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Handsome Harry hired hundreds of hippos for Hanukkah. The repetition of a vowel sound rather than a consonant is assonance. Hear the mellow wedding bells. — Edgar Allan Poe I'm hunched over emotions just flows over these cold shoulders are both frozen you don't know me. - Eminem

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within words, not just at the beginning. Count the “S” sounds as they appear in this verse of “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll: The moon was shining sulkily, Because she thought the sun Had got no business to be there After the day was done— “It’s very rude of him,” she said, “To come and spoil the fun!”

Onomatopoeia is the imitation of natural sounds in word form. These words help us form mental pictures about the things, people, or places that are described. Sometimes the word names a thing or action by copying the sound. For example: Splash! Hiss! Buzz!

An idiom is an expression that has a meaning apart from the meanings of its individual words. For example: It’s raining cats and dogs. Its literal meaning suggests that cats and dogs are falling from the sky. We interpret it to mean that it is raining hard. under the weather means “feeling sick” catch some Z’s

a “play on words” A pun is a humorous use of words that involves a word or phrase that has more than one possible meaning. I recently spent money on detergent to unclog my kitchen sink. It was money down the drain. I used to be twins. My mother has a picture of me when I was two. I work as a baker because I knead dough.

Personification is giving human qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics to inanimate (non-living) objects. The snow whispered as it fell to the ground during the early morning hours. The strawberries seemed to sing, "Eat me first!“ The wind sang her mournful song through the falling leaves

Hyperbole is an exaggeration. It may be used due to strong feelings or is used to create a strong impression and is not meant to be taken literally. I nearly died laughing. I tried a thousand times. I could eat a horse.

Imagery uses vivid description to refer to the five senses: sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. This allows the reader to create mental images, or pictures. Imagery allows a writer to SHOW a writer what she means instead of just telling someone. When you write your poem, remember: Show! Don't Tell!

Imagery If you're tired and hopeless, how can you show someone this instead of just telling them? I took a walk around the world to Ease my troubled mind I left my body laying somewhere In the sands of time I watched the world float to the dark Side of the moon I feel there is nothing I can do --"Kryptonite" by Three Doors Down The Road Not Taken ~Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. --Frost SHOWS his reader the roads and his decision to take the one less traveled.

Hey! What's the Big Idea? The theme is the point a writer is trying to make about a subject. Learning about theme helps you decide what is important. The theme of the poem tells what the whole poem is about. All the words, descriptions, figurative language, detail sentences, and scenes are all small parts that add to the reader's understanding of what you feel about the theme.

What is your theme? How did you support that central idea? Who is your audience and what do you want to say? These questions GUIDE you to FIND your purpose in writing. Generally, people write for three reasons - to persuade, to entertain, or to inform. Which reason best represents what you want to do with your theme? For example, your theme is dogs. Are you trying to persuade someone to love dogs as much as you do? Are you entertaining the reader about a special dog in your life and the funny way he looks and the crazy things he does? Are you describing dogs in general? How you present your central idea will define and clarify your purpose.

Mood is defined as a created atmosphere or context. In the movies mood is achieved by special lighting, sound effects, selected music, and the tone of the actors’ dialogue and actions. In poetry, to create mood, the writer must rely on his/her use of words and phrases to "paint the right scene" - in other words, create the right mood. The mood may be somber, light-hearted, comical, silly, or thought provoking. It is up to you, as the poet, to consider your theme and purpose. Then create the mood that best relays those two elements to your reader.

"Over My Head (Cable Car)” ~The Fray I never knew I never knew that everything was falling through That everyone I knew was waiting on a queue To turn and run when all I needed was the truth But that's how it's got to be It's coming down to nothing more than apathy I'd rather run the other way than stay and see The smoke and who's still standing when it clears Everyone knows I'm in Over my head Over my head With eight seconds left in overtime She's on your mind She's on your mind The theme is a break up/ lost love. The purpose is to entertain. The mood is somber and almost hopelessness. Scrambled I climbed up the door and I opened the stairs. I said my pajamas and buttoned my prayers. I turned off the covers and pulled up the light. I’m all scrambled up since she kissed me last night. © 1996 by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from My Dog Ate My Homework published by Meadowbrook Press. The theme is love. The purpose is to entertain. The mood of this poem is comical.