POETRY

REVIEW TERMS Mood: The overall atmosphere or prevailing emotional feeling of a work Imagery: The use of concrete details that appeal to the five senses Symbol: Something concrete (such as an object) that stands for something abstract (such as a concept or an idea) Theme: The main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work Tone: the writer’s attitude toward the subject of a literary work Style: the unique way a writer uses language Irony: when a writer means the opposite of what is said Ambiguity: uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language

The process of reading, understanding, and analyzing poetry EXPLICATION The process of reading, understanding, and analyzing poetry

What is happening on the surface of a poem LITERAL MEANING What is happening on the surface of a poem

The deeper, sometimes hidden, meaning of a poem FIGURATIVE MEANING The deeper, sometimes hidden, meaning of a poem

Factual, non-poetic language LITERAL LANGUAGE Factual, non-poetic language

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Language that departs from literal meaning in order to achieve a special effect

A group or unit of lines in a poem STANZA A group or unit of lines in a poem

Repeated lines in a poem or song REFRAIN Repeated lines in a poem or song

METER The rhythm of poetry

The actual dictionary definition of a word DENOTATION The actual dictionary definition of a word

The emotional or figurative connections attached to a word CONNOTATION The emotional or figurative connections attached to a word

A writer’s choice of words DICTION A writer’s choice of words

POETIC LICENSE A writer’s right to bend/break the rules of writing in order to achieve a specific effect or purpose

The regular form of written language PROSE The regular form of written language

A reference to a historical figure, place, or event ALLUSION A reference to a historical figure, place, or event

The teams competed in a David and Goliath struggle. ALLUSION The teams competed in a David and Goliath struggle.

SIMILE A direct comparison between two basically different things that is introduced by the words “like” or “as”

My love is like a red, red rose. SIMILE My love is like a red, red rose.

METAPHOR An implied comparison between two basically different things that is not introduced with the words “like” or “as”

His eyes were daggers that cut right through me. METAPHOR His eyes were daggers that cut right through me.

A great exaggeration to emphasize strong feeling HYPERBOLE A great exaggeration to emphasize strong feeling

My backpack weighs a ton. HYPERBOLE My backpack weighs a ton.

Human characteristics given to non-human animals, objects, or ideas PERSONIFICATION Human characteristics given to non-human animals, objects, or ideas

The sun kissed the flowers. PERSONIFICATION The sun kissed the flowers.

A regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem RHYME SCHEME A regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem

RHYME SCHEME “Twinkle twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.” (AABB)

Poetry without a regular pattern of meter (beat) or rhyme FREE VERSE Poetry without a regular pattern of meter (beat) or rhyme

The repetition of identical sounds at the ends of lines of poetry END RHYME The repetition of identical sounds at the ends of lines of poetry

END RHYME “He clasps the crag with crooked hands Close to the sun in lonely lands” from “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The repetition of identical sounds within a line of poetry INTERNAL RHYME The repetition of identical sounds within a line of poetry

INTERNAL RHYME “We three shall flee across the sea to Italy.” OR “Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour.”

SLANT RHYME A slant rhyme or half rhyme occurs when the vowel sounds are not quite identical

“And on that cheek and o’er that brow” A mind at peace with all below” SLANT RHYME “And on that cheek and o’er that brow” A mind at peace with all below”

A poem that tells a story NARRATIVE POEM A poem that tells a story

“Little Miss Moffat sat on a tuffet...” NARRATIVE POEM “Little Miss Moffat sat on a tuffet...”

REPETITION The repeating of a sound, word, phrase, or more in a given literary work

REPETITION “I sprang to the stirrup, and Jarvis, and he; I galloped, Derrick galloped, we galloped all three”

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words ALLITERATION The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words

“Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship” ALLITERATION “Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship”

The repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant ASSONANCE The repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant

“. . .that hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.” ASSONANCE “. . .that hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.”

CONSONANCE The repetition of consonant sounds that are preceded by different vowel sounds

“Wherever we go Silence will fall like dews” CONSONANCE “Wherever we go Silence will fall like dews”

ONOMATOPOEIA The use of words whose sounds suggest the sounds made by objects or activities

“Blind eyes could blaze like meteors” Other examples: buzz, hum, kiss ONOMATOPOEIA “Blind eyes could blaze like meteors”

SONNET A fourteen-line poem, that is divided into three quatrains (rhyming four-line stanzas) and a concluding couplet (pair of rhyming lines) Each quatrain makes a point or gives an example, and the couplet sums it all up.

ODE A long lyric poem about a serious subject, written in a dignified style

A short poem that expresses a basic emotion LYRIC POEM A short poem that expresses a basic emotion