Poetic Devices

ALLITERATION - repeating sounds at the start of a series of words.
i.e. sweet smell of success, a dime a dozen, bigger & better, jump for joy, sing a sad song, ten tiny typists, Ding Dong Ditch, Nicky Nicky Nine Doors.

ASSONANCE: repeating vowel sounds. VOWEL RHYME- usually recurring VOWEL SOUNDS in the middle of words.
i.e. All alone, always away. Iggy enjoys improving ingenious inventions.

MOOD: Create atmosphere or emotion. i.e. Stormy weather suggests trouble in the future. Spring rains bring life & a refreshing "new start" or 2nd chance. Creating a serious or angry or comic or romantic mood.

HYPERBOLE: Extreme exaggeration used to make a point.
i.e. I've told you a million times!

IMAGERY: a "figure of speech" that paints a mental image.
Imagery is descriptive & appeals to the 5 SENSES.

METAPHOR: A comparison without using the words "like" or "as". Metaphors compare the unfamiliar with something familiar. Describes a person or thing. "Bart Simpson is a cheeky monkey."

i.e. Dave is drowning in money. Tim was dying of laughter. My love is a rose. A mighty fortress is our faith.

ONOMATOPOEIA: the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation. -words whose sound suggests the sound.
i.e. bang, boom, buzz, click, crash, hiss, pop, plop, rip, rustle, sizzle, smash, snap, splash, squeak, tap, whir, whistle, zip.

OXYMORON: Two opposite ideas joined together to create an effect.
i.e. Open secret, Freezer burn, Jumbo shrimp, Seriously funny, Clearly Confused, Deafening Silence, Pretty ugly, Definite maybe. Only choice, Act Natural, Confirmed rumour, Awfully good, Controlled chaos, Original copy, Fully empty.

PERSONIFICATION: giving human characteristics to non human things. (A talking rock or sad cloud.)

i.e. The tree waved to us. The kettle is calling me. The wind howled my name in anger.

POETIC LICENSE: A poet breaking the rules to better their poem. ie. Creative Spelling or making up words or using "near rhymes". (Knock being spelled nock or excited becomes X-cited since you "need" an X word.)

REPETITION: repeating words or phrases for emphasis, creating a pattern, increasing rhythm & strengthening the mood (feelings).

RHYTHM: The flow of sound & silence called THE BEAT. Carefully choosing the Number of Syllables per verse (line).

RHYMING - having words end in a similar sound. This can be used in the same verse (line of a poem) or often at the end of two verses

RHYMING COUPLET: Two lines of the same length that rhyme and complete one thought.

RHYMING PATTERNS: The pattern of rhyming words used for the verses in a poem. i.e. Your poem has 4 verses (lines) per stanza (poem's paragraph). The 1st & 3rd verse rhyme together. The 2nd & 4th verse rhyme together. - A,B,A,B rhyming pattern.

SIMILE: A comparison using "like" or "as".

i.e. Her cheeks are like roses. She smelled as sweet as spring.

SYMBOLISM: using symbols with a recognized meaning in a poem.

Ie. - hardworking beaver or maple tree or pure snow in a Canadian poem. - magnificent eagle in an American poem.