Poetry Terminology

Allegory

an extended metaphor with a literal meaning as well as an underlying meaning

Alliteration

a repetition of that same consonant sound in several words in the same sentence

Allusion

a reference to a familiar place, event or person in history, literature, mythology or the bible

Apostrophe

a figure of speech in which the author addresses

Assonance

the repetition of the same vowel sound in two or more closely related words

Consonance

the repetition of final consonant sounds

Cacophony

harsh, unpleasant sounds created by diction

Euphony

an effect created that is pleasing to the ear

Connotation

an added meaning that suggests something positive or negative

Denotation

the exact, literal, dictionary definition

Cliché

an overused expression that has lost its impact

Dialect

the language used by people who live in a particular place or area

Figurative Language

language using figures of speech (all the terms)

Figure of Speech

saying one thing and meaning another

Hyperbole

a bold overstatement or an extreme exaggeration of fact or possibility

Idiom

a group of words whose meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words

Imagery

descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses

Irony

literal device based on contrast

Juxtaposition

placing words side by side to create an effect (either contrasting or comparing)

Metaphor

an implied comparison between two things

Metre

the measured arrangement of words in poetry (syllables)

Metonymy

one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely related

Mood

the emotional feeling of the reader produced from the atmosphere and tome of the text

Onomatopoeia

words that imitate the sound they represent

Oxymoron

a combination of contradicting words

Paradox

a statement that seems to contradict itself but may be true

Poetry

anything that is not prose

Prose

the ordinary form of spoken and written language

Rhyme

the repetition of sound in different words

Rhyme Scheme

is determined by finding syllable that rhyme at the end of lines of poetry

Rhythm

the arrangement of beats in a line of poetry

Satire

ridicule with the hope of bringing about change

Simile

a comparison between two things using "like" or "as"

Stanza

the groups of lines in poetry (the paragraphs of poetry)

Symbolism

something that stands for, or has meaning beyond, its literal meaning

Synecdoche

naming a part of something to mean the whole

Theme

the perception or idea about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader; not the same thing as a one-word topic or cliché

Tone

the speakers attitude towards their subject

Verse

the group of ideas in poetry (the sentences of poetry)

Blank Verse

poems that have no regular rhyme scheme but have a rhythm

Didactic Poetry

poetry that offers explicit advice or moral lessons

Descriptive Poetry

poetry that offers descriptions that appeal directly to our senses

Free Verse

poems that have neither rhyme nor rhythm

Haiku

a Japanese poem of three lines (5 / 7 / 5) celebrating the beauty of nature

Lyric Poetry

primary purpose is to express emotion

Light Verse

intention is to be humours, clever, and sometimes rude

Narrative Poetry

any poem that tells a story concerned with contexts (time, place, and situation), and conflict

Reflective Poetry

poems that search for deep truths and pose the essential questions of existence

Satirical Poetry

humours poetry used for the serious purpose of effecting positive change in people or society