- alliteration: repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of the word. Gives emphasis and a musical quality.
- allusion: a reference to a famous person, place, or event
- consonance: repetition of a consonant sound anywhere in a word
- couplet: a rhymed pair of lines in a poem
- end rhyme: repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines of poetry
- figurative language: language that goes beyond the words' literal meanings. Includes simile, metaphor, idiom
- free verse: poetry written without a regular rhyme scheme, meter, or form
- hyperbole: a figure of speech where the truth exaggerated for humorous effect
- idiom: a common phrase made up of words that can't be understood by their literal, or ordinary meanings.
- imagery: language that creates pictures or images in your mind. Usually appeals to the five senses—touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight.
- internal rhyme: use of similar sounds within a line of poetry
- lyric poem: a short poem that directly expresses the poet's thoughts and emotions in a musical way
- meter: the regular pattern of accented and unaccented syllables
- narrative poem: a poem that tells a story. Usually includes characters, plot, theme, and conflict.
- onomatopoeia: use of words that sound like the noises they describe
- personification: a type of figurative language where poets give an animal, object, or idea human qualities, such as the ability to hear, feel, talk, and make decisions.
- repetition: when a sound, word, phrase, or line is repeated for effect or emphasis.
- rhyme: repetition of sounds at the end of words
- rhyme scheme: a repeated regular pattern of rhymes usually found at the end of lines
- rhythm: is the musical quality created by a pattern of beats or a series of stressed and unstressed syllables
- speaker: the voice that talks to the reader in a poem; not necessarily the poet
Poetry Terms