POETR

Y TE

RMS

ALLITERATION (FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE)

Repeating the same FIRST consonant sound in several words.

Ex: Fragrant flowers, dog days, cool as a cucumber

ASSONANCE (FIG. LANG.)

The repetition of vowel sounds in several words.

Ex: “Quick fix”Ex: “Around Town”

CONSONANCE (FIG. LANG.)the repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession,

Ex: "pitter patter" "all mammals named Sam are clammy".

ONOMATOPOEIA (FIG. LANG.)Using words that sound like

what they mean; words that express sound.

Examples: buzz, click-clack, woof, hiss

IMAGERY (FIG. LANG.)Imagery is one of a poet’s most powerful tools. Using sensory details, poets create pictures (imagery) in the readers’ mind.

SIMILE (FIG. LANG.)A comparison using like or as

Example: …The whistle of a boat

Calls and cries endlesslyLike some lost child

METAPHOR (FIG. LANG.)A comparison not using like or as

Example: The days are nouns; touch themThe hands are churches that worship the world

DENOTATIONThe dictionary meaning of a

word.

CONNOTATION

The associations called up by a word that goes beyond its dictionary meaning. Poets, especially, tend to use words rich in connotation.

DICTIONRefers to an author’s choice of

words and their connotations.

Ex: Using ‘gleeful’ instead of ‘glad…’

SYNTAXRefers to the sentence

structure; the way they put their poems together.

Does the writer use compound sentences, simple sentences? Are they choppy? Etc.

ALLUSIONA reference to something that exists outside of a literary work. Poets often use allusion to draw connections in their readers’ minds.

RHYME SCHEMEA regular pattern of end rhymes.

Ex: Roses are red AViolets are blue B

Sugar is sweet CAnd so are you B

FREE VERSE

Poetry that does not have a regular rhyme scheme.

STANZAThe grouping of lines in a poemA division or unit of a poem that is repeated

in the same form--either with similar or identical patterns or rhyme and meter, or with variations from one stanza to another.

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COUPLETA pair of lines in a meter of poetry.

Usually refers to two rhyming lines.

Ex: True wit is nature to advantage dress'd;

What oft was thought, but ne'er so well express'd.

— Alexander Pope

RHYTHMA musical quality based on repetition. When you talk about the beat you hear when you read a poem, you are describing its rhythm.

REPETITIONrepeating the same word or phrase for emphasis

TONE

The author’s attitude, stated or implied, toward a subject. Some possible attitudes are pessimism, optimism, earnestness, seriousness, bitterness, humorous, and joyful. An author’s tone can be revealed through choice of words and details.

MOOD

is the feeling a piece of literature arouses in the reader: happy, sad, peaceful, etc. Mood is the overall feeling of the piece, or passage.

For example, an author may create a mood of mystery around a character or setting but may treat that character or setting in an ironic, serious, or humorous tone

HAIKUA three line poem 5-7-5 syllables

The wind speaks to meIt whispers soft in the night

Listen, what does it say?

LYRIC POEMExpresses a speaker’s emotions or thoughts. It does not tell a story. Lyric poems usually convey a single strong emotion.

NARRATIVE POEM

A poem that tells a complete story.

Ex: Twas the Night Before Christmas

SONNETA 14 line lyric poem—many by

Shakespeare!

Most sonnets are written with a rhythm called iambic pentameter and have a regular rhyme scheme.

ODE(traditionally) a long lyric

poem that considers a serious subject and is written in a dignified style

BALLAD

songlike poem that tells a story– generally has a regular pattern of rhyme and a refrain

EPICa long narrative poem that relates the deeds of a hero

(The Iliad/The Odyssey)