Poetic Devices and Structures

These flashcards cover key poetic devices and structures for better understanding of poetry concepts.

Slant Rhyme

Occurs when two words at the end of a line of poetry end in similar but not identical consonant sounds.

Archaisms

Words, phrases, expressions, spellings, and/or syntax that are considered old fashioned.

Inverted Syntax

The reversal of the normal order of words and phrases in a sentence.

Metaphysical Conceit

An extended metaphor that draws a surprising connection between two dissimilar things.

Cataloging

A literary device used to list things (e.g. people, objects, abstract qualities) to create a rhetorical effect.

Meter

The measured pattern of rhythmic accents in poems.

Rhythm

A literary device that shows long and short patterns through stressed and unstressed syllables.

Trochee

A foot consisting of one long or stressed syllable followed by one short or unstressed syllable.

Quatrain

A four line stanza in a poem.

Couplet

A pair of rhymed lines that may or may not form a separate stanza.

Stanzas

A division or group of lines that forms a basic recurring metrical unit in a poem.

End-stopped lines

A metrical line that ends at a grammatical break or with punctuation.

Enjambed line

A poetic line where logical and grammatical sense carries over into the next line.

Typography

The style, arrangement, and appearance of letters, numbers, and symbols in written language.

Lineation

The way line breaks are inserted in a poem.

Cadence

Momentary changes in rhythm and pitch that help set the rhythmic pace of a literary piece.

Cacophony

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds, often due to repetition and combination of consonants.

Assonance

The repetition of similar vowel sounds in a sentence or a line of poetry.

Closed Form Poetry

Poetry characterized by regularity and consistency in rhyme, line, length, and metrical pattern.

Open Form Poetry

A type of poetry that lacks distinct elements of poetic form or structure.