Poetic Devices The Sounds of Poetry

Onomatopoeia When a word’s pronunciation imitates its sound. Examples Buzz Fizz Woof Hiss Clink Boom Beep Vroom Zip

Repetition Repeating a word or words for effect. Example Nobody No, nobody Can make it out here alone. Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody

Rhythm When words are arranged in such a way that they make a pattern or beat. Example There once was a girl from Chicago Who dyed her hair pink in the bathtub I’m making a pizza the size of the sun. Hint: hum the words instead of saying them.

Rhyme When words have the same end sound. Happens at the beginning, end, or middle of lines. Examples Where Fair Air Bear Glare

Alliteration When the first sounds in words repeat. Example Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper. We lurk late. We shoot straight.

SIMILIES The simile is a figure of speech that describes something by comparing or establishing its similarity to something else, using ‘like’ or ‘as’. This device makes the description more emphatic. as gentle as a lamb MEANS Gentle, non-reactive ...to sleep like a log MEANS To sleep soundly.

Metaphors Metaphors are comparisons that show how two things that are not alike in most ways are similar in one important way. Metaphors are a way to describe something. Authors use them to make their writing more interesting or entertaining. Unlike similes that use the words “as” or “like” to make a comparison, metaphors state that something is something else. Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind. The metaphor compares Cindy to a mule because she was very stubborn

Personification Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas). For example: The window winked at me. The verb, wink, is a human action. A window is a non-living object.