1. Poetry Terms

2. Stanza Sections of a poem. Not “paragraphs”
When we talk about parts of poems in this unit, we will do so in terms of stanzas and line numbers

3. Persona
Speaker in a poem
Not necessarily the author—don’t assume!

4. Theme The message the author presents through the work.
What is the author’s commentary on the issue?
Sometimes referred to as the “moral”

5. Diction Refers to two aspects of the writing: Word choice—Vocabulary
Also, keep in mind connotation and denotation
Denotation= dictionary definition of words
Connotation= associations we have with words
Word order—Syntax

6. Imagery Language that appeals to the five senses:
Sight
Smell
Sound
Taste
Touch
In a Station of the Metro
-Ezra Pound
The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough.

7. Repetition Return to a word, phrase, image, etc. for effect.
What could this effect be? What function does repetition serve in writing?

8. Alliteration Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words
Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers.

9. Onomatopoeia
When a word’s sound indicates its meaning.
Bang!
Pow!

10. Rhyme Repetition of similar sounds in words.
End Rhyme—Repetition of final sounds at the end of lines of poetry.
Little Bo Peep
Has lost her sheep
Internal Rhyme—Rhyming words within a line of poetry
Approximate Rhyme—an imperfect rhyme. Usually occurs in pattern where most rhymes are perfect, exact rhymes.
Ex: When and send; sun and plum

11. Consonance and Assonance
Consonance—Repetition of the same consonant sounds two or more times in short succession. This repetition does not have to be at the beginning of a line. (Alliteration is a type of consonance)
Pitter patter of little feet.
Assonance—Repetition of the same vowel sounds two or more times in short succession.
Do you like blue?

12. Enjambment
Running on of the thought from one line, couplet, or stanza to the next without a syntactical break
In other words, using a line break where you wouldn’t naturally pause
From Keats’ Endymion:
A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and asleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. (ll .1-5)

13. Types of Poetry Based on Rhyme
Free Verse—Poetry that follows no particular rhyme scheme or meter (rhythm determined by stress and syllables)
Blank Verse—Poetry that has a regular rhythm (Iambic Pentameter…Remember?) but no regular rhyme scheme

14. Figurative Language
To be literal means that you mean exactly what you say/write
Figurative means that what is said or written is not exactly what is meant
You must read between the lines!

15. Simile
A comparison between two unlike things using like, as, or another comparison word.
Playing chess with Ashley is like trying to outsmart a computer.
“He makes more trips to the mound than a mom on mother’s day” –Mike Shannon

16. Metaphor
A comparison between two unlike things in which one thing becomes another.
Brian was a wall, bouncing every ball that came toward him over the net.

17. Personification Giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The window winked at me.

18. Symbolism
Something that stands for something else. Usually in literature, writers will use a concrete object to represent an abstract idea.

19. Tone
The author’s attitude or feelings about the persona, audience, or subject matter.
Use diction, imagery, persona, etc. to communicate tone.
More than just what the message is
Tone is described in feeling words