Poetry Terms

Anaphora

the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or poetic lines to create emphasis, rhythm, and emotional impact

Alliteration

Assonance

repetition of similar internal vowel sounds within nearby words in poetry or prose

Bob and Wheel

Bucolic

describes the pleasant, peaceful, and rustic aspects of the countryside, rural life, or pastoral scenes

Caesura

a dramatic pause, break, or interruption within a line of poetry, usually near the middle, marked by punctuation or a natural phrasing shift. It breaks the metrical rhythm to emphasize meaning, control pacing, or reflect natural speech patterns

Chiasmus

is a rhetorical device featuring grammatical, word, or concept repetition in inverted order (A-B-B-A structure) to create balance, contrast, or emphasis. It highlights reversals in meaning, making phrases memorable and impactful. Examples include "Fair is foul, and foul is fair". 

Dactyl

a metrical foot in poetry consisting of one stressed (or long) syllable followed by two unstressed (or short) syllables, such as in the word "tenderly"

Dimeter

a poetic meter consisting of a line with two metrical feet. Used to create a brisk, urgent, or concise rhythm, it often features four syllables total, commonly in iambic (unstressed-stressed) or trochaic (stressed-unstressed) forms.

Eclogue

a short, dramatic pastoral poem, often a dialogue between shepherds set in an idealized, idyllic countryside, popularized by Virgil

Ellipses

the deliberate omission of words, phrases, or lines for dramatic effect, brevity, or to suggest hesitation and trailing thoughts, (…)

Enjambment

the continuation of a sentence or clause across a poetic line break without terminal punctuation, originating from the French for "to stride over". It speeds up a poem's pacing, creates suspense, and mimics natural speech or chaotic thought, serving as the opposite of end-stopped lines. 

Mimesis

the process of imitation or mimicry through which artists portray and interpret the world. Mimesis is not a literary device or technique, but rather a way of thinking about a work of art.

Motif

a recurring image, sound, action, or phrase that appears throughout a work to create a pattern, emphasize a theme, and deepen meaning. Unlike a single symbol, a motif repeats, such as light/darkness or a journey, to connect different parts of a poem to a central idea, such as the inevitability of change or the concept of loss.

Octave

a poetic stanza or poem consisting of eight lines, typically acting as the first part of a Petrarchan sonnet to introduce a problem, theme, or question, often followed by a resolution in the concluding six-line sestet.

Ode

a formal, often ceremonial lyric poem that addresses and celebrates a person, place, thing, or idea. It is characterized by its dignified style, complex structure, and elevated emotion, originally intended to be sung. Odes typically explore themes of praise, nature, or intense personal reflection.

Pastoral

A poem that idealizes rural life and nature as an idyllic escape from the complexities of city life.

Pentameter

a poetic meter consisting of lines with five metrical feet, most commonly used in English poetry as iambic pentameter, which mimics the natural rhythm of speech, popular in Shakespearean sonnets and blank verse, offering a "heartbeat" cadence.

Pyrrhic

a metrical unit in poetry consisting of two unstressed, short syllables, often referred to as a dibrach. It is not used to create an entire poem but serves as a substitution, frequently replacing iambs or trochees to speed up the rhythm, create monotony, or provide a soft, delicate pause

Quatrain

Sestet

Sestina

Sonnet

Petrachian Sonnet

Stanza

Trimeter

Trochee

Verse Paragraph

Villanelle