POETRY

LITERARY DEVICES IN

POETRY

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Figurative Language is the use of words outside of their literal or usual meaning to

add beauty or force.

It is characterized by the use of similes and metaphors.

METAPHOR Metaphor is a figure of speech

that makes a comparison between

two unlike things, in which one

thing becomes another without

the use of the words like, as, than,

or resembles.

EXAMPLE: “LOVE IS A ROSE”

SIMILE Simile is a figure of speech

that makes a comparison

between two unlike things,

using words such as like, as,

than, or resembles.

Example: My love is like a red, red rose.

- Robert Burns

ONOMATOPOEIA

Onomatopoeia is the use of a word or words whose sound imitates its meaning.

Examples: crackle, pop, fizz, click, chirp

PERSONIFICATION

Personification is a special

kind of metaphor in which a

nonhuman thing is talked

about as if it was human

(given human characteristics).

Example:

This poetry gets bored of being alone,

It wants to go outdoors to chew on the wings,

To fill its commas with the keels of rowboats….

-Hugo Margenat, from”Living Poetry”

SYMBOLISM Symbolism is when a person, place, thing

or idea stands for itself and for something

else.

Example: Use of the bald eagle to represent the USA

ALLITERATION

Alliteration occurs when a series of words in a row (or close to a row) have the same first consonant sound. For example, “She sells sea-shells down by the sea-short” or “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers” are both alliterative phrases.

ASSONANCE - Assonance, (or medial rhyme) is the agreement in the

vowel sounds of two or more words, when the

consonant sounds preceding and following these

vowels do not agree. Thus, strike and grind, hat and

man, 'rime' with each other according to the laws of

assonance.”

TOUNGUE TWISTERS

"Rhyme, alliteration, assonance, and consonance combined

often produce tongue-twisting linguistics. Big Punisher's 'Twinz'

includes this couplet . . .

'Dead in the middle of little Italy /

Little did we know that we riddled a middle man who

didn't know diddly.' . . .

Keying in on a single sound, he runs a staggering series of

rhyme variations ('middle,' 'little,' 'riddled,' 'middle,' 'diddly'),

which he further builds upon with consonance (d) and assonance

(i) and alliteration (d and l). This is what happens when a poet is

in complete control of his rhymes."

DISSONANCE - Dissonance is the direct avoidance of

assonance. It is a disruption of harmonic

sounds or rhythms, and is often a harsh

collection of sounds. This depends on the

organization of sound for a jarring effect,

rather than on the unpleasantness of individual words.

HYPERBOLE Hyperbole is a figure of speech composed

of a striking exaggeration.

Example: I have a million things to get done

this weekend.

METER

Meter is the pattern of

rhythm established for a

verse.

RHYTHM

Rhythm is the actual

sound that results from a

line of poetry.

PURPOSES OF POETRY WHY WRITE A POEM? POETS HAVE VARIOUS PURPOSES. WHEN YOU WRITE A

POEM, IT HELPS TO KNOW WHAT YOUR PURPOSE IS:

• To tell a story – it can be long or short

• To be humorous – funny ideas, silly rhymes, humorous descriptions

• To express a feeling – a release of feeling by explaining what the emotion is like and what it feels like to go through it

• To describe – a person, place, or thing; usually includes sensory details (sights, sounds, smells,etc.)

• To persuade – convince a reader to think a certain way or do a particular thing

CLOSE READING

• The best strategy to use with a poem is

close reading.

• Close reading means reading word for

word, line for line.

• Read the poem a number of times

(usually 3 or 4 times depending on the

length and complexity of the poem).

BEFORE READING

• Read the title

• Make a prediction. What do you think

this poem will be about?

• Who is the poet? Do you know

anything about the kind of poetry this

person reads?

• Is the poem structured in a different or

unique way? Why might this be so?

FIRST READING

• Read for enjoyment.

• Get a feeling for the poem’s words.

• A poem is like a song. Note the sound

of the words, for they can be as

important as the meaning.

• Listen for the rhythm of the poem.

• Write a few sentences stating what the

poem is about?

SECOND READING

• Read for meaning.

• Look for clues that help you

understand what the poem is saying.

• Try to visualize the images.

• Paraphrase to make sure you

understand the meaning

THIRD READING

• Study the structure and language of the poem.

• What kind of poem is it?

• Does it have a rhyme scheme?

• How many stanzas are in it?

• What type of language is used? alliterations, similes, metaphors, personification, idioms, etc.

FOURTH READING

• Read for feeling.

• What are the mood and tone of the

poem?

• How does this poem make you feel?

AFTER READING

• Complete your analysis of the poem using the notes and annotations you made during each of your readings

• The Acronym TPCASTT may help you • Title

• Paraphrase

• Connotation

• Attitude

• Shift

• Title

• Theme

TPCASTT

• Title: What will this poem be about? Make a prediction

• Paraphrase: After 1st reading state what the poem is about in your own words.

• Connotation: Look at the poet’s choice of words, metaphors, simile’s alliteration, etc.

• Attitude: What is the attitude of the speaker toward the poem’s subject?

TPCASTT

• Shift: Is there a change or shift in time, tone, or speaker in the poem.

• Title (again): What do you think the title means now?

• Theme: What is the theme or message of the poem? What is the insight or perspective about life the poet wants you to see or think about?