Poetry Terms and Devices

Flashcards for vocabulary terms related to literary and poetic devices.

Imagery

Vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the five senses.

Hyperbole

An over-exaggeration, used for emphasis or effect.

Metaphor

A direct comparison of two different things.

Personification

Giving human-like qualities to a non-human thing.

Simile

A comparison of two different things that uses “like” or “as”.

Symbolism

The use of an object to represent a complex or abstract idea.

Alliteration

Repetition of similar sounds at the beginning of words.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of sentences, lines, or clauses.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within words close to each other.

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds close to each other.

Onomatopoeia

The use of a word that imitates a sound.

Parallel Structure

Repetition of sentence structure (using same parts of speech/ similar sentence patterns).

Repetition

Deliberate reuse of words and phrases for effect.

Rhyme

The pairing words with similar sounds at the end.

End Rhyme

Rhyme of the ends of lines in poetry (using the last word of each line).

Internal Rhyme

Rhyme within lines of poetry.

Rhyme Scheme

The pattern of end rhyme (represented with the letters of the alphabet).

Stanza

A group of lines in poetry.

Allegory

A symbolic text with a hidden layer of meaning (most objects and characters are symbols).

Allusion

A brief indirect reference (to a person, event, time period, literary work, etc.).

Irony

A statement or situation that is the opposite of what one might expect.

Juxtaposition

The placement of two differing ideas/things near/next to each other, for contrast.

Paradox

A seemingly self-contradicting statement that actually contains truth.

Rhetorical Question

A question that is not expected to be answered, used for rhetorical effect or to emphasize an obvious point.

Poetic Device

A technique used by poets to create specific effects or enhance their writing.