ELEMENTS OF POETRY

WHAT IS POETRY?

A way of writing that expresses thoughts feelings or stories creatively using carefully chosen words with rhythm and sound

WHAT IS A POEM?

A piece of writing that uses imaginative words to share ideas emotions or a story

PERSONA

The speaker or voice in the poem that may be different from the poet

FORM

The physical structure shape and pattern of a poem

STANZA

A group of lines in a poem separated by spaces

LINE LENGTH

Refers to how long or short a line is based on words or syllables

SHORT LINE

Used for emphasis emotion or quick rhythm

LONG LINE

Used for smooth detailed continuous rhythm

END-STOPPED LINE

A line that ends with punctuation and completes an idea

ENJAMBMENT

A line that continues to the next without punctuation

CAESURA

A pause in the middle of a line

COUPLET

A stanza with 2 lines

TERCET

A stanza with 3 lines

QUATRAIN

A stanza with 4 lines

CINQUAIN

A 5-line stanza with a specific pattern

SESTET

A stanza with 6 lines

OCTAVE

A stanza with 8 lines

RHYME

Repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines

END RHYME

Rhyming words at the end of lines

INTERNAL RHYME

Rhyming words within the same line

PERFECT RHYME

Words with exact same ending sounds

SLANT RHYME

Words with similar but not exact sounds

EYE RHYME

Words look like they rhyme but sound different

IDENTICAL RHYME

Repetition of the same word

RHYME SCHEME

Pattern of rhyme at the end of lines

AABB

Lines rhyme in pairs

ABAB

Every other line rhymes

ABCB

Only 2nd and 4th lines rhyme

ABBA

1st and 4th rhyme 2nd and 3rd rhyme

AAAA

All lines rhyme

FREE VERSE

No fixed rhyme scheme or meter

IMAGERY

Language that appeals to the five senses

VISUAL IMAGERY

Describes what we see

AUDITORY IMAGERY

Describes sounds

GUSTATORY IMAGERY

Describes taste

TACTILE IMAGERY

Describes touch

OLFACTORY IMAGERY

Describes smell

KINESTHETIC IMAGERY

Describes movement

ORGANIC IMAGERY

Describes internal feelings or sensations

SOUND PATTERNS

Use of sound devices like rhyme and rhythm

ONOMATOPOEIA

Words that imitate sounds

ALLITERATION

Repetition of beginning consonant sounds

ASSONANCE

Repetition of vowel sounds

THEME

Central idea or message of the poem

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Creative expressions that go beyond literal meaning

METAPHOR

Comparison without using like or as

SIMILE

Comparison using like or as

PERSONIFICATION

Giving human traits to non-human things

TONE

The poet’s attitude toward the subject

MOOD

The feeling experienced by the reader

RHYTHM

Pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables

IAMBIC

Unstressed followed by stressed

TROCHAIC

Stressed followed by unstressed

ANAPESTIC

Two unstressed followed by one stressed

DACTYLIC

One stressed followed by two unstressed

FOOT

Basic unit of stressed and unstressed syllables

SPONDAIC

Two stressed syllables

METER

Measurement of rhythm in a line

MONOMETER

One foot per line

DIMETER

Two feet per line

TRIMETER

Three feet per line

TETRAMETER

Four feet per line

PENTAMETER

Five feet per line

HEXAMETER

Six feet per line

HEPTAMETER

Seven feet per line

OCTAMETER

Eight feet per line