Literary Terms and Concepts in Poetry

Muse

In Greek mythology, the Muses are nine goddesses of the arts and sciences, who inspire creativity in poets, artists, and thinkers. The term 'muse' can also refer to a person or thing that inspires artistic or creative work.

Terza Rima

A rhyme scheme used in poetry, characterized by sets of three lines (tercets) where the first and third lines rhyme, and the middle line rhymes with the first and third of the next tercet (ABA BCB CDC, etc.).

Astray

Away from the correct path or direction; lost or confused.

Arduous

Involving a lot of effort, difficulty, or exertion; challenging or strenuous.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Caesura

A pause or break in a line of poetry, often placed in the middle, to create a rhythmic pause or to emphasize certain parts of the verse.

Zeal

Great energy, enthusiasm, or passion in pursuit of a cause or objective.

Haste

Excessive speed or urgency in movement or action, often leading to mistakes or oversights.

Avarice

An extreme and insatiable desire for wealth or material gain; greed.

Vernacular

The everyday language or dialect spoken by ordinary people in a specific region or country, as opposed to formal or literary language.

Contrapasso

A concept from Dante's Inferno, referring to the principle of justice in which the punishment for a sin is a direct reflection of the sin itself, often in a symbolic or ironic way.

Stanza

A grouped set of lines in a poem, often separated by a space from other stanzas, and typically following a specific pattern of meter and rhyme.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two things using 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'as brave as a lion').

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares two things without using 'like' or 'as,' stating one thing is another to illustrate a point (e.g., 'Time is a thief').

Archaic

Referring to words, phrases, or concepts that are outdated or no longer in common use, often from an earlier period of history.

Lamentation

The act of expressing grief, sorrow, or regret, often in the form of a vocal expression or written work.

Juxtaposition

The act of placing two or more elements side by side, often to highlight their contrasts or differences.

Assail

To attack or assault someone or something violently or with intense force.

Equinoctial

Relating to the equinox, the time when day and night are of equal length, or to regions near the equator.

Swoon

To faint, lose consciousness, or become overwhelmed by strong emotion (such as love or admiration).

Omnipotence

The quality of having unlimited or universal power and authority; often associated with a deity.

Primordial

Relating to the earliest stages of development or the beginning of the universe; ancient or fundamental.

Mitigate

To make something less severe, intense, or harmful; to lessen the negative effects of something.