Poetry Terminology

Rhyme Scheme

Pattern of rhyming words at the end of poem lines

Meter

Rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry

Iamb

Metrical foot with unstressed-stressed syllable pattern

Trochee

Metrical foot with stressed-unstressed syllable pattern

Spondee

Metrical foot with two stressed syllables

Dactyl

Metrical foot with stressed-unstressed-unstressed syllable pattern

Anapest

Metrical foot with two unstressed-stressed syllable pattern

Pyrrhic

Metrical foot with two unstressed syllables (rare in English poetry)

Diction

Choice of words in a poem influencing tone and meaning

Connotation

Emotional or cultural associations of a word beyond literal meaning

Imagery

Vivid language creating mental pictures or appealing to senses

Figurative Language

Expressive language using metaphors, similes, and personification

Allusion

Brief reference to person, place, event, or literature within a poem

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within neighboring stressed syllables

Repetition (Anaphora)

Deliberate repetition of words or phrases for emphasis

Stanza

Group of lines in a poem, often separated by blank lines

Couplet

Stanza with two lines, often rhyming

Octave

Eight-line stanza, common in sonnets

Sestet

Six-line stanza, often found in Italian sonnets

Tercet

Three-line stanza, frequently used in terza rima

Quatrain

Stanza with four lines, often rhyming

Heroic Couplet

Pair of rhymed lines in iambic pentameter

Italian Sonnet

14-line poem with octave and sestet, following specific rhyme scheme

English Sonnet

Shakespearean sonnet with three quatrains and a rhymed couplet

Haiku

Traditional Japanese form with 5-7-5 syllable structure

Ballad

Narrative poem often set to music, telling a story

Villanelle

19-line poem with specific rhyme scheme and repeated lines

Ode

Lyrical poem expressing admiration or celebration

Limerick

Humorous five-line poem with AABBA rhyme scheme

Free Verse Poem

Poem without fixed meter or rhyme scheme

Epic Poem

Long narrative poem recounting heroic deeds or adventures

Explication

Detailed analysis or interpretation of a poem