Yup, we’ve got to know ‘em! Poetic Devices Yup, we’ve got to know ‘em!

Metaphor Often known as a direct comparison between two objects Does NOT use “like” or “as” Example: “I am a rock. I am an island.” – Simon & Garfunkel “Be my mirror my sword and shield.” – Coldplay (Chris Martin) “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” – Dylan Thomas

Simile A figure of speech comparing two unlike things, using “like” or “as” Example: “Tasty like a raindrop.” – Roxette (Annie Lennox) “Happy as a clam in mud.” – Anonymous “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus.” – Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

Assonance The repetition of vowel sounds Creates internal rhyming Doesn’t have to be the same vowel Creates internal rhyming Example: “Hear the lark and harken to the barking of the dog-fox gone to ground.” – Pink Floyd “I’ve never seen so many Dominican women with cinnamon tans.” – Will Smith (Miami) “The murmuring of innumerable bees.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson

Consonance The repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession Example: "pitter patter” - Anonymous “All mammals named Sam are clammy” - Anonymous

Consonance, cont. Half Rhyme The final consonants of the words are involved Really common in rap and hip hop music Example: "Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile/Whether Jew or gentile I rank top percentile.” - Fugees

Consonance, cont. Alliteration Repeating the same consonant sound at the beginning of two or more words in close succession Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” – Nursery rhyme Almost all of Stan Lee’s comic book characters Many professional sports teams Opening monologue – V for Vendetta

Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, so let me simply add that it's my very good honour to meet you and you may call me V.

Blackalicious - Alphabet Aerobics

Onomatopoeia A word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes Often known as “sound words” Common occurrences include animal noises Example: “Snap. Crackle. Pop.” – Rice Krispies “Biff! Whoop! Ka-Wham! Pow!” – Batman (70’s TV series) Marvel Comics has trademarked two words of their own invention: thwip! (Spider-Man’s web shooter) and snikt! (the switchblade-sound of Wolverine's claws locking into place)

Personification When a non-human “thing” is given human qualities You can personify objects Your computer hates me You can personify concepts Time marches on You can personify animals The birds expressed joy  Is this personification? Finis