Creative Writing: Poetry Terms #2

epic

A long, serious poem that tells the story of a heroic figure

feminine rhyme

A rhyme that occurs in a final unstressed syllable: pleasure/leisure, longing/yearning

figure of speech

A verbal expression in which words or sounds are arranged in a particular way to achieve a particular effect

foot

Two or more syllables that together make up the smallest unit of rhythm in a poem

free verse (vers libre)

Poetry composed of either rhymed or unrhymed lines that have no set meter

haiku

A Japanese poem composed of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. They often

reflect on some aspect of nature.

heroic couplet

A stanza composed of two rhymed lines in iambic pentameter

hexameter

A line of poetry that has six metrical feet

hyperbole

A figure of speech in which deliberate exaggeration is used for emphasis

iamb

A metrical foot of two syllables, one short (or unstressed) and one long (or stressed)

iambic pentameter

A type of meter in poetry, in which there are five iambs to a line

idyll (idyl)

Either a short poem depicting a peaceful, idealized country scene, or a long poem that tells a story about heroic deeds or extraordinary events set in the distant past

lay

A long narrative poem, especially one that was sung by medieval minstrels called trouvères

limerick

A light, humorous poem of five usually anapestic lines with the rhyme scheme of aabba

lyric

A poem, such as a sonnet or an ode, that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet

masculine rhyme

A rhyme that occurs in a final stressed syllable: cat/hat, desire/fire, observe/deserve