Poetry Terms

Poetry Terms

Poetry DefinitionA form of literature where words are chosen to create a special effect. It is no different than any other form of literature except the way it looks on the page.

FormForm is the way a poem looks on the page. A poem can be spotted easily, even without reading it.

#1 Old Age Sticksold age sticksup Keepoffsigns)&

youth yanks them down(oldagecries No

Tres)&(pas)youth laughs(sing

old age

scolds ForbiddenStopMustn't Don't

&)youth goesright ongrowing old.

The Birdman Long before the sun struck the face of Lookout Mountain, curls of smoke rose from the earth houses at its feet. Women hurried to the springs for water. Boys ran through the village. Dogs barked. The men brought out the weapons and gear of the hunt for admiration and repair. Today would begin the preparation for the ceremonial that would bring the buffalo from the land of the warm wind.The Sidewalk RacerSkimmingAn asphalt seaI swerve, I curve, ISway; I speed to whirringSound an inch above theGround; Im the sailorAnd the sail, I'm theDriver and the wheelIm the one and onlySingle engine Human autoMobile.Ill Give You LawWhen I read the newspaper, there is always a must section in it that I never pas by. This is the lost and found advertisements usually buried in the back pages. This is a habit I picked up from my grandmother. She always took a keen interest in who had lost what, and who was honestly reporting on items found. Speed AdjustmentsA man stopped by and he wanted to knowWhy my son John had become so slow.

I looked out the window and there was JohnRunning so fast he had been and goneBefore I saw him. Look at him go!I said to the man. Do you call that slow?

He seems to be fast when he wants to be,The man said.StanzasGroupings of lines in poetry. These are similar to paragraphs in fiction.

RhymeThe same sound at the ends of words.Roses are red,Violets are blue,I love me,And you do too.Rhyme SchemePattern to the rhyme

Free VerseNo rhyme or rhythm pattern to the poem. Sounds like regular conversation.

RhythmA pattern to the stressed and unstressed syllables.He wrapped her in his seamans coat

Against the stinging blast;

He cut a rope from a broken spar,

And bound her to the mast.

Rhyme?Rhythm?Repetition?SpeakerVoice of the poem

Figurative LanguageLanguage that is not taken literally. Example:I am so confused in biology, I cant even write my name! I want to throw my book in a pond.

SimileA comparison of two unlike objects using the words like or as

MetaphorA comparison of two unlike objects NOT using like or as

Which is which?

PersonificationGiving human qualities to an animal, object or idea.The trees danced in the wind.

HyperboleExaggeration for effect.I was so bored I could have died.I have a ton of homework.I was so angry I thought my head would explode.ImageryWords that are directed toward and appeal to one of the five senses.

Sounds in Poetry

AlliterationThe repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.Otherwise known as tongue twisters.Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Silly Sally sang a song of sixpence.

AssonanceThe repetition of vowel sounds in non-rhyming words.I must confess that in my quest I felt depressed and restless.Narrative PoetryPoems that tell a story, they have character, plot and setting.