PoetrySOUND DEVICES

ALLITERATION2Pac was one of the pioneers of alliteration in rap, and he uses it to especially powerful effect by choosing hard sounds like “puh” and “kuh” and “buh” and “duh” to make him sound tough. Cam'ron, another artist whose flow is both musical and tough, often uses alliteration. From To Live & Die in L.A.:Blind to a broken man’s dream, a hard lessonCourt cases keep me guessin‘

From Killa Cam:The hooligan in Houlihan'sManeuverin’s nothin‘ new to me

ALLITERATION

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in stressed syllables:

Words begin with the same consonant sound

the fair breeze blew, the white foam flew

She sells seashells by the seashore

ONOMATOPOEIA

The use of a word whose sound imitates its meaning.

A word sounds the same as its meaning

The cat meowed.

CONSONANCE

In consonance, words share the same consonant sound, but have different vowel sounds. From Jay-Z’s “D'Evils”:

I’m trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot

CONSONANCE

The final consonant sound of important words sound the same

The repetition of final consonant sound in stressed syllables of words with

different vowel sounds.

Odds and ends First and last Short and sweet

ASSONANCE

Here’s some assonance from Jay-Z on “A Star is Born” — notice how the rhymes at the end of the lines are imperfect but work because of the shared vowel sound of “ay”:

Rae’ took on the datewith the Purple TapePassed on to Ason and then Ghostface

ASSONANCE

The repetition of similar vowel sounds in stressed syllables that end with

different consonants.

The vowel sounds of important words sound the same.

It beats, it sweeps, it cleans.Long vowel sounds increase energy.

He slips timidly on tiptoe.Soft vowel sounds soften the mood.

CACOPHONY

Using harsh sounds to make an impression.

The use of harsh or discordant sounds for poetic effect.

Player Piano

My stick fingers click with a snicker And, chuckling, they knuckle the keys; Light footed, my steel feelers flicker And pluck from these keys melodies.

My paper can caper; abandon Is broadcast by dint of my din, And no man or band has a hand in The tones I turn on from within.

At times I'm a jumble of rumbles, At others I'm light like the moon, But never my numb plunker fumbles, Misstrums me, or tries a new tune.

-John Updike- New Yorker 1954