Poetry

Poetry

writing that condenses language into its most intense form in order to convey an idea, feeling, or description of something.

Explicate

analyze (a literary work) in order to reveal its meaning.

Free Verse

Poetry that does not follow a regular pattern or form; the poet is free to write the poem however he/she wants.

Prose

describes any writing that is non-poetry; it is essays, novels, etc.

Imagery

a stylistic device writers use to appeal to our five senses, describing what the writer sees in his mind.

Literal Language

when someone says exactly what they mean.

Figurative Language

when a person says something that really means something else; it doesn't mean exactly what it says.

Simile

a comparison of two unlike things using the words: like, as, than, or resembles.

Metaphor

a comparison of two unlike things in which the author states that one thing is another thing, without using like or as.

Direct Metaphor

directly compares two things using a to be verb such as is, am, are.

Implied Metaphor

suggests the comparison between two things without stating it directly.

Personification

a type of metaphor that makes something non-human seem to take on human qualities.

Rhyme

Words that sound alike.

End Rhyme

The last words in the lines of a poem rhyme.

Rhyme Scheme

A regular pattern of rhyme (I.e. aa abab bb).

Approximate Rhyme

Words that repeat some sounds but are not exact sound echos.

Exact Rhyme

Exact rhyme sounds.

Couplet

An end rhyme where two consecutive lines rhyme.

Rhythm

The repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds that are followed by different consonant sounds.

Onomatopoeia

Use of words with sounds that imitate or suggest their meaning.

Repetition

Very useful in emphasizing an idea/feeling and helps reader remember the main idea/feeling/message of the poem.

Foot

One stressed syllable and one or more unstressed syllables.

Trochee

Stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.

Anapest

Two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (da da DA).

Dactyl

One stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (DAH da da).

Spondee

Two stressed syllables (DAH DAH).

Sonnet

Form poem consisting of 14 lines that follows a regular rhyme pattern and is usually written in iambic pentameter.

Iambic Pentameter

A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable.

Haiku

Japanese poetry that is short (3 lines long) with a structure of 5, 7, 5 syllables, usually contrasting images and has a moment of enlightenment.

Lyric Poem

A short poem that expresses the speaker's thoughts or feelings.

Catalog Poem

A poem that brings together many images and presents them for your attention.

Free Verse

Poems that do not follow a regular rhyme or meter and sound like spoken language.

Sonnet

A type of poem that follows a specific structure and rhyme scheme.

Idiom

An expression that is peculiar to a certain language and cannot be understood by a mere literal definition.

Refrain

Repeated phrases or sentences in a poem, similar to a chorus.

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor that is repeated throughout a piece.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration often used for emphasis.

Figurative Language

Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere of a poem.

Tone

The attitude of the speaker in a poem.

Speaker

The voice or persona that narrates a poem.

Syllables

Units of sound in a word; in Haiku, there are 17 syllables total.

Personification

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

Theme

The central idea or message conveyed in a poem.

Symbolism

Using symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Contrast

The state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly refers to one thing by mentioning another, implying a comparison.

Alliteration

The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Onomatopoeia

A word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound it describes.

Internal Rhyme

A rhyme that occurs within a single line of verse.

FLLL Poem

A poem structured with a First Line/Last Line format, anchoring the poem's theme.

Connotation

The emotional or cultural association with a word, beyond its literal meaning.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere created by a piece of writing.

Imagist Poetry

A type of poetry that emphasizes clarity of expression and visual imagery.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Sound Imagery

Descriptive language that evokes auditory sensations.

Visual Imagery

Descriptive language that evokes visual sensations.

Mood Word

A word that conveys the emotional tone of a piece of writing.