Poetry Terms

February 3, 2014

Simile

• a comparison using “like” or “as”.

• “The referee cost us the game. He was as blind as a bat!”

Metaphor

• a direct comparison where one thing is another; no “like” or “as”

• The Auburn Maroons Volleyball team were tigers last night, mauling their opponents.

Hyperbole

• an extreme exaggeration

Why does Charlie, who’s fast as a jet, take all day to get to school?

Personification

• Giving a human quality, to something non-human

• “Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.”

Symbol

• Writing which represents something beyond itself

Alliteration

the repetition of a consonant sound to start a series of words

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

See Sally sell seashells by the seashore.

The pleasant Prince pleaded for peace.

Big bees buzz by Bob's bushes.

End Rhyme

• the repetition of similar sounds or words at the end of a line

Maybe, Christmas doesn’t come from a store, Maybe, perhaps Christmas, means a little bit more!

Internal Rhyme

• the repetition of similar sounds or words within the line

• Its best, i guess, two profread carefuly for erors?

Imagery

• Highly descriptive language that appeals to the five senses.

Onomatopoeia

• use of words whose sound suggest their meaning

Rhythm

• the sound or beat of the poem

Refrain

• a line repeated at the end of each stanza

• Old McDonald had a farm…

Repetition

• a word or group of words repeated throughout a poem

repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition

Haiku Poems (5, 7, 5)

• A poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five

SunflowersSunflower grow tall (5)Lift your head to bright sunshine (7)Mother Nature’s child (5)

Free Verse Poems

• Poems that do not follow patterns of rhyme and rhythm

Stanza

• the lines of a poem grouped by one main idea; similar to a paragraph in prose.

“Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.” ~Carl Sandburg