Structural Elements
A group of lines forming a unit in a poem, similar to a paragraph in prose
Stanza
Repetition of the same sounding words, usually at the end of lines.
Rhyme
A comparison using "like" or "as" (e.g., as brave as a lion).
Simile
Poetry without a fixed rhyme scheme or meter.
Free Verse
The central idea or message in a poem.
Theme
A single line of poetry or a segment of a poem with a rhythmic structure
Verse
Repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
Alliteration
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create mental images.
Imagery
A 3-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern, usually about nature.
Haiku
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of art or literature.
Allusion
Two consecutive lines of poetry that typically rhyme and have the same meter
Couplet
A word that imitates a natural sound (e.g., buzz, crash).
Onomatopoeia
A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as" (e.g., time is a thief).
Metaphor
A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter (often iambic pentameter).
Sonnet
The atmosphere or emotional feeling evoked in the reader.
Mood
A short line of poetry, continued on from the last line without pause or punctuation, usually abruptly
Enjambment
Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of nearby words.
Consonance
Giving human qualities to non-human things (e.g., the wind whispered).
Personification
A long narrative poem about heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation.
Epic
The poet’s attitude toward the subject or audience (e.g., serious, playful).
Tone
A deliberate pause or break within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.
Caesura
Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
Assonance
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally (e.g., I’ve told you a million times).
Hyperbole
A humorous 5-line poem with an AABBA rhyme scheme.
Limerick
A contrast between expectation and reality, often highlighting contradiction or humor.
Irony