Sounds in PoetrySounds in Poetry

Bahroz H. MawloodBahroz H. Mawlood2017 2017

Sound Devices in Poetry Sound Devices in Poetry

Poets have many tools that they can use to create Poets have many tools that they can use to create their poems. The one we might be most familiar with their poems. The one we might be most familiar with is the effect of sound.is the effect of sound.

When words are spoken aloud, they have lots of When words are spoken aloud, they have lots of great sound qualities that poets can incorporate into great sound qualities that poets can incorporate into their poems.their poems.

The most recognizable sound effect used in poems The most recognizable sound effect used in poems is is rhyme.rhyme.  

RhymeRhymePoets organize rhyming words in a variety of patterns called rhyme schemes. Poets organize rhyming words in a variety of patterns called rhyme schemes.

End rhyme is the rhyming of words at the ends of lines of poetry. End rhyme is the rhyming of words at the ends of lines of poetry.

“Trees” by Joyce Kilmer (aabb) I think that I shall never see (a) I think that I shall never see (a)

A poem lovely as a tree. (a) A poem lovely as a tree. (a) A tree that may in summer wear (b) A tree that may in summer wear (b)

A nest of robins in her hair. (b)A nest of robins in her hair. (b)

“The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes (aabcb) The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor. The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor.

And the highwayman came riding- And the highwayman came riding- Riding – riding— Riding – riding—

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door. The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

RhymeRhyme“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe (ababcb) ) It was many and many a year ago, It was many and many a year ago, In the kingdom by the sea, In the kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived, whom you may know That a maiden there lived, whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love, and be loved by me. Than to love, and be loved by me.

““The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W. Service (abcbdefe) The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W. Service (abcbdefe) There are strange things done in the midnight sun There are strange things done in the midnight sun

By the men who moil for gold; By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; That would make your blood run cold;

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see But the queerest they ever did see

Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarg Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarg I cremated Sam McGeeI cremated Sam McGee

RepetitionRepetitionRepetition is the recurring use of a sound, a word, a phrase, or a Repetition is the recurring use of a sound, a word, a phrase, or a

line. Repetition can be used to appeal to our emotions, create line. Repetition can be used to appeal to our emotions, create mood, and to emphasize important ideas. Notice how mood, and to emphasize important ideas. Notice how Edgar Edgar Allan Poe Allan Poe uses repetition in uses repetition in “Annabel Lee” “Annabel Lee” to create emotional to create emotional effects:effects:

And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride, Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride, In the sepulcher there by the sea, In the sepulcher there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea. In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Repetition Repetition

“ “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, : :

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright, shining bright,

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light; hearts are light;

And somewhere men are laughing, and And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout, somewhere children shout,

AlliterationAlliterationAlliteration is the repetition of beginning consonant Alliteration is the repetition of beginning consonant

sounds. sounds.

Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”:

““Up the aisle, the moans and screams merged Up the aisle, the moans and screams merged with the sickening smell of woolen black clothes with the sickening smell of woolen black clothes worn in summer weather and green leaves wilting worn in summer weather and green leaves wilting over yellow flowers.”over yellow flowers.”

AlliterationAlliteration

““Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

“The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,“The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,The furrow followed free;The furrow followed free;

We were the first that ever burstWe were the first that ever burstInto that silent sea.”Into that silent sea.”

In the above lines we see alliteration (“b”, “f” and “s”) in the In the above lines we see alliteration (“b”, “f” and “s”) in the phrases “breeze blew”, “foam flew”, “furrow followed”, and phrases “breeze blew”, “foam flew”, “furrow followed”, and

“silent sea”.“silent sea”.

AssonanceAssonanceAssonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. Notice Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. Notice

how many “O” sounds occur in this poem by how many “O” sounds occur in this poem by

Notice the use of assonance in Robert Frosts poem “Stopping by Notice the use of assonance in Robert Frosts poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”:Woods on a Snowy Evening”:

““He gHe giives hves hiis harns harneess bss beells a shakells a shakeTo ask if there is some mistake.To ask if there is some mistake.The onlThe onlyy other sound’s the sw other sound’s the sweeeeppOf easOf easyy wind and down wind and downyy flake. flake.The woods are lovelThe woods are lovelyy, dar and d, dar and deeeep.p.But I have promises to keep,But I have promises to keep,And miles to gAnd miles to goo bef befoore I sleep,re I sleep,And miles to gAnd miles to goo bef befoore I sleep.”re I sleep.”

The underlined letters above are vowels that are repeated to create The underlined letters above are vowels that are repeated to create assonance.assonance.

ConsonanceConsonance““The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll:The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll: The moon was shining sulkily, The moon was shining sulkily, Because she thought the sun Because she thought the sun Had got no business to be there Had got no business to be there After the day was done— After the day was done— ““It’s very rude of him,” she said, It’s very rude of him,” she said, ““To come and spoil the fun!”To come and spoil the fun!”

ConsonanceConsonanceConsonance is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within

words, not just at the beginning sometimes at the end of words. Count words, not just at the beginning sometimes at the end of words. Count the “S” sounds as they appear in this verse of the “S” sounds as they appear in this verse of

““Shall I Wasting in Despair” written by George Wither.Shall I Wasting in Despair” written by George Wither.

Great, or Great, or goodgood, or , or kindkind, or , or fairfair,,I will I will ne’erne’er the  the moremore  despairdespair;;If she If she lovelove me, this  me, this believebelieve,,I I willwill die ere she  die ere she shallshall  grievegrieve;;If she If she slightslight me when I woo, me when I woo,I can scorn and I can scorn and letlet  herher go; go;For if she be For if she be notnot  forfor me, me,WhatWhat  carecare I  I forfor whom she be? whom she be?

Here the use of consonance can be seen through the letters Here the use of consonance can be seen through the letters such as r, d, and f.such as r, d, and f.

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is the use of words that create the Onomatopoeia is the use of words that create the

sounds they describe. Words like buzz, hum, sounds they describe. Words like buzz, hum, clank, and crash represent a sound. Listen for clank, and crash represent a sound. Listen for the sound of horse hoofs repeated in the sound of horse hoofs repeated in

“The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes:

Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs ringing clear; ringing clear;

Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?they did not hear?

Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia

(‘Come Down, O Maid’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson)(‘Come Down, O Maid’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson)““The The moanmoan of doves in immemorial elms, of doves in immemorial elms,

And And murmuringmurmuring of innumerable bees…” of innumerable bees…”

((For Whom the Bell TollsFor Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway) by Ernest Hemingway)““He saw nothing and heard nothing but he could feel He saw nothing and heard nothing but he could feel

his heart pounding and then he heard the his heart pounding and then he heard the clackclack on  on stone and the leaping, dropping stone and the leaping, dropping clicksclicks of a small  of a small rock falling.”rock falling.”

References References

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/poetry2.htmarts/literature/poetry2.htmhttp://shoga.wwa.com/~rgs/glossary.htmlhttp://shoga.wwa.com/~rgs/glossary.htmlwww.michigan.gov/documents/www.michigan.gov/documents/THE_SOUNDS_OF_POETRY_33553_7.pTHE_SOUNDS_OF_POETRY_33553_7.pdfdfhttps://literarydevices.net/alliteration/https://literarydevices.net/alliteration/