Lesson 3 – Structure, Sound Devices, and Figurative Language in Poetry

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the structure, sound devices, and figurative language of poetry.

Poetry

A form of literature that expresses emotions, ideas, or stories using creative, rhythmic, and often figurative language.

Structure (in poetry)

The organized framework of a poem, including its lines, stanzas, rhyme scheme, and overall form that differentiates it from prose.

Rhyme Scheme

The pattern of end rhymes in a poem, mapped with letters (e.g., AABB, ABAB).

Sound Devices

Techniques poets use to create musical effects, such as rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, consonance, and onomatopoeia.

Rhyme

The repetition of identical or similar ending sounds in two or more words (e.g., night/light).

Rhythm

The beat or patterned flow of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem (e.g., da-DUM da-DUM).

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words (e.g., "Peter Piper picked").

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words (e.g., "The rain in Spain").

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the ends of words (e.g., "The lumpy, bumpy road").

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate natural sounds (e.g., buzz, hiss, splash).

Figurative Language

Language that uses figures of speech (such as similes, metaphors, personification) to create imagery and convey meanings beyond the literal.