Poetic Lenses and Grammar Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary list of poetic and literary devices, grammatical terms, and structural elements of poetry derived from lecture notes.

Internal rhyme

Rhyme that occurs when words within the same line or in the middle of different lines rhyme with each other, instead of at the end of lines.

Abstract noun

A noun for an idea, feeling, or quality, such as hope.

Anadiplosis

A rhetorical device where a writer or speaker repeats the very last word of a sentence or clause at the very beginning of the next one.

Epiphora

A rhetorical device also called epistrophe where a word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

Anaphora

Repeating words at the start of successive clauses, such as 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the grounds'.

End rhyme

When the last syllables within a verse rhyme, for example: 'humpty dumpty sat on a WALL humpty dumpty had a great FALL'.

Full rhyme

Also called perfect rhyme, exact rhyme, or true rhyme; the traditional form of rhyming where two or more words share sounds.

Epanalepsis

A repetition of a word or phrase in a quick succession; the transcript cites 'Rejoice in the lord always and again i say rejoice' as an example.

Third person

The pronouns he, she, and it are known as third person pronouns.

Half rhyme

A type of rhyme that creates a near match between words.

Diacope

When a writer repeats a word or phrase with one or more words in between.

First person

The pronoun I is known as the first person pronoun.

Proper noun

A specific person, place, or thing that is always capitalized, for example London.

Onomatopoeia

A word that sounds like the noise it describes, such as 'buzzed'.

Connotation

A feeling or idea that is suggested by a particular word, such as 'home' suggesting warmth.

Extended metaphor

A comparison that extends over the course of several lines, paragraphs, or even an entire poem.

Semantic field

A group of words from the same field of meaning, such as 'purred, meowed, hissed, and scratched' for a cat.

Coordinating conjunction

A conjunction that introduces an independent clause, for example 'but' in 'i like tea but she likes coffee'.

Subordinating conjunction

A conjunction that introduces a dependent clause, such as the word 'because'.

Line

A subdivision of a poem; a group of words arranged into a row for a reason other than the margins.

Stanza

The main building blocks of a poem; it is shaped like a wall of poetry made up of lines that relate to a similar thought or topic.

Enjambment

Where a sentence or thought continues across a line break.

End-stop

A pause at the end of a line of poetry, which can be marked by a full stop, a comma, or a semi-colon.

Caesura

A pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by punctuation or occurring in the exact middle of a line.

Metaphor

A comparison which describes something in a way that is not literally true.

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Personification

Giving something nonhuman human qualities.

Symbolism

The use of symbols, people, locations, or imagery to represent something deeper or beyond the literal meaning.

Irony

A meaning that is a literary work to open a person.

Epizeuxis

Repetition of a word or phrase in quick succession, such as 'We will, we will rock you'.