Poetry Terms Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards from lecture notes.

Equinoctial

Related to an equinox, a time when day and night are of equal length; can symbolize balance or change of seasons in poetry.

Almanac

A yearly calendar or publication with weather forecasts, astronomical info, and other data; sometimes used in poems to reflect the passage of time or cycles.

Inscrutable

Impossible to understand or interpret; often used in poetry to describe a mysterious person, force, or emotion.

Elegiac

Mournful or reflective, often about loss or death; describes poems that are sorrowful in tone (like an elegy).

Whimsicality

The quality of being playful or fanciful; in poetry, it can create a light, imaginative, or quirky tone.

Feigned

Pretended or faked; used in poetry to describe false emotions or appearances.

Epigrammatic

Witty and concise, like an epigram; poetry with sharp, clever, or memorable phrasing.

Disdain

Scorn or strong dislike; often appears in poetry about pride, judgment, or social critique.

Eloquent

Fluent, expressive, and persuasive in speech or writing; poetic language is often described as eloquent when it moves the reader emotionally.

Palate

Literally the roof of the mouth; metaphorically, a sense of taste (as in flavor or aesthetic judgment in poetry).

Paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth (e.g., "I must be cruel to be kind"); common in poetry for depth and irony.

Disparity

A great difference or inequality; often used in poetry about social, emotional, or philosophical contrasts.

Nascent

Beginning to exist or develop; used poetically to describe emerging feelings, thoughts, or changes.

Amorphous

Shapeless or lacking definite form; can describe unclear or shifting emotions, clouds, or abstract concepts in poetry.

Confound

To confuse or surprise; also can mean to mix things up or frustrate expectations—useful in poems with complex ideas or emotions.

Acuity

Sharpness of thought, vision, or hearing; often used in poetry to describe intense perception or insight.

Hutch

A small cupboard or storage chest (sometimes with a cage for animals); can be used symbolically in poetry to suggest confinement or domesticity.

Ardor

Intense passion or enthusiasm; poetic when expressing deep love, conviction, or desire.

Importune

To ask persistently or beg; can appear in poems about desperation, longing, or pleading.

Repulsion

A strong feeling of disgust or aversion; used in poetry to contrast attraction or to explore dark emotions.