Poetry Terms

Alliteration The repetition of initial identical consonant sounds. Example: “Homesick for home Daedalus hated Crete”

Approximate Rhyme Sounds are similar but not exact.

Assonance The repetition of vowel sounds. Example: “My words like silent raindrops fell” “All looked up in absolute amazement”

End Rhyme Rhymes that occur at the end of a line of poetry.

Figurative Language Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. Figurative language, in comparison, uses exaggerations or alterations to make a particular linguistic point. Figurative language is very common in poetry, but is also used in prose and nonfiction writing as well. http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/Figurative-Language.html

Folk Ballad Poem passed by word of mouth from one generation to another. Blues music can find its roots in folk ballads that were often sung. Folk ballads often reflect elements region and culture.

imagery Language that appeals to the senses. “Preludes” by T. S. Eliot.  The winter evening settles down With smell of steaks in passageways. Six o'clock. The burnt-out ends of smoky days. And now a gusty shower wraps The grimy scraps Of withered leaves about your feet And newspapers from vacant lots; The showers beat On broken blinds and chimney-pots, And at the corner of the street A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps. And then the lighting of the lamps.

Imaginative Language Words use to arouse the reader’s feelings.

Internal Rhyme Rhyming within a line.

Literary Ballad Imitates the form and spirit of a folk ballad.

Lyrical Poetry Poetry in which the speaker reveals personal thoughts and feelings.

Metaphor Figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things, in which one thing becomes another thing without the use of the word like, as, than or resembles.

Narrative Poetry Poetry that tells a story, has a plot and characters.

Onomotopoeia The use of a word or phrase that actually imitates or suggests the sound of what it describes. Examples: “Snap” “Crackle” “Pop” “Buzz” “Sizzle”

Parallelism Repeating of phrases/sentences so that the repeated parts are alike.

Personification Kind of metaphor in which a nonhuman thing or quality is talked about as if it were human.

Poetic Speaker The voice of a poem.

Repetition The repeating of sounds, letters, words, or lines, which helps give poetry its meaning, form and sound.

Rhyme Scheme The pattern of rhymes formed by the end rhyme in a poem. The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day: (a) The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play. (a) And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, (b) A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game. (b)

Rhythm Rhythm is a musical quality produced by the repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables. Rhythm occurs in all forms of language, both written and spoken, but is particularly important in poetry

Sensory Language Language that appeals to the senses and represents concrete objects, people, or events.

Simile A comparison of two dissimilar things using "like" or "as.” For example: “My love is like a red, red rose"