Poetry Terms

Hyperbole

Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration The books weigh a ton. I could sleep for a year. I have a million things to do.

Personification

Personification: When a non-living object has been given qualities of a person The wind whispered through the trees The moon danced on the water “Oreo: Milk’s favorite cookie.”

Figurative Language

Simile: A comparison of two nouns using the words like or as “My love for you is like a red, red rose”

Metaphor: A comparison of two nouns saying that one thing is another “All the world is a stage”

Figurative Language cont.

A Symbol: a person, place, thing, or A Symbol: a person, place, thing, or event that stands for itself and for event that stands for itself and for something beyond itself as well. something beyond itself as well.

ExamplesExamples: the American flag symbolizes : the American flag symbolizes freedom, liberty, and love for America. freedom, liberty, and love for America.

A wedding band symbolizes_______.A wedding band symbolizes_______. A white flag symbolizes__________.A white flag symbolizes__________.

Figurative Language cont. Prominent Symbols in Literature The Four Seasons: Spring: birth, rebirth, new beginnings, new life, etc. Summer: the prime of life, youthful, energetic,

growing Fall: the decline, the approach of death, getting old Winter: death, the end of life, something comes to

an end Day: life, goodness, knowledge, honesty,

happiness, energy, purity, positive, light, understanding, clarity

Night: death, evil, darkness, mystery, bad, the end, scary, uninformed, unknown

Imagery

Visually descriptive or figurative language especially in a literary work Powerful use of the 5 senses

Example: “The gushing brook stole its way down the lush green mountains, dotted with tiny flowers in a riot of colors and trees coming alive with gaily chirping birds.”

Rhythm

Repetition: The repeating of a word or phrase to add rhythm or to emphasize an idea

“And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep.” –Robert Frost, “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”

“The road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding- Riding-riding- The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.” –Alfred Noyes, “The Highwayman”

Refrain

A refrain is a repeated part of a poem, particularly when it comes either at the end of a stanza or between two stanzas.

Example: The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep.

Onomatopoeia:

The use of words whose sound makes one think of its meaning Wham! Bonk! Ding-dong “Cuckoo” Tick-tock “snap, crackle, pop”