Poetry Analysis Notes

Flashcards created from lecture notes on poetry analysis, highlighting key poems, themes, and literary terms.

So you want to be a writer?

A poem by Charles Bukowski emphasizing the need for overwhelming passion in writing.

The Poet

A poem by Jane Hirshfield discussing the personal process of writing and the necessity of poetry for self-expression.

Introduction to Poetry

A poem by Billy Collins urging readers to experience poetry emotionally rather than just analyzing it.

You, Reader

A poem by Billy Collins exploring the various interpretations by readers and authors.

I met a genius

A poem by Charles Bukowski that uses structure and emphasized words to convey deeper meaning.

Barbie Doll

A poem by Marge Piercy that critiques social beauty standards through the metaphor of a girl's death.

Anonymous submission

A concept representing unvoiced sentiments from many individuals.

Those Winter Sundays

A poem by Robert Hayden illustrating a daughter's recognition and empathy for her father's sacrifices.

Still I Rise

A poem by Maya Angelou that showcases resilience through powerful imagery comparing herself to strong objects.

The History Teacher

A poem by Billy Collins that reveals the dangers of ignorance and the importance of truth in education.

Paper Bag

A poem by Fiona Apple using musical devices to express the yearning for reciprocated love.

Hannah Hunt

A song by Vampire Weekend about a couple's road trip reflecting on a deteriorating relationship.

Cath..

A poem exploring the discomfort of being in an unwanted relationship, symbolized by a 'hand me down' smile.

Alliteration

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

Allusion

A brief indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work.

Apostrophe

A direct address to an absent person, abstract concept, or inanimate object.

Assonance

The repetition of similar internal vowel sounds in nearby words.

Caesura

A dramatic pause or break in a line of poetry, allowing for reflection.

Consonance

The repetition of identical or similar consonant sounds in nearby words.

Couplet

A pair of consecutive lines in a poem that rhyme.

Dramatic poetry

Poetry meant to be spoken or acted, focusing on action rather than description.

End rhyme

Words at the end of a line of poetry that rhyme with each other.

Enjambment

A phrase that has a break with no terminal punctuation, continuing to the next line.

Figurative language

Language that elevates words beyond their literal meanings.

Free verse

A form of poetry that rejects traditional patterns of rhyme.

Hyperbole

Intentional exaggeration for emphasis.

Imagery

Descriptive language that evokes the five senses.

Internal rhyme

Rhyme occurring within a single line of verse.

Lyric poetry

A type of poetry expressing personal emotions or thoughts.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that equates two unlike things for vivid imagery.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate natural sounds, enhancing sensory imagery.

Personification

Attributing human traits or emotions to inanimate objects or concepts.

Refrain

A repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song.

Rhyme scheme

The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem, denoted by letters.

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as' to highlight similarities.

Sonnet

A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and structure.

Stanza

A grouping of lines in a poem.

Synesthesia

Describing one sense using language associated with another sense.

Tone

The speaker's attitude towards the subject or audience.