Poetry Vocabulary (6.11A)
What is a stanza?
A group of lines in a poem.
“The moon was a silver coin in the sky.” What is this?
Metaphor
What is theme?
The lesson or message of a text.
What is tone?
The author’s attitude toward the subject.
Meaning of “grin” in this sentence:
“He tried to hide his grin, but the smile slipped out.”
Smile.
What is rhyme scheme?
A pattern of rhyming words at the ends of lines.
“He ran like the wind.”
Simile
If a poem shows a character never giving up, what theme could it have?
Perseverance.
What is mood?
The feeling the reader gets.
Which clue helps define “timid”?
“The timid puppy hid behind the couch.”
Hid behind the couch → shy/scared.
What does “line break” mean in a poem?
Where one line ends and the next begins.
“The angry storm pounded the windows.”
Personification
True or False: Theme is always stated directly.
False.
Which word signals an encouraging tone?
A. hopeless
B. cheerful
C. furious
D. confused
B. cheerful
What does “scarce” mean?
In short supply / not much of something.
What does repetition add to a poem?
Emphasis, rhythm, or importance.
Define hyperbole.
An extreme exaggeration.
A poem about a boy learning from failure most likely has what theme?
Growth / learning from mistakes.
What mood is created by these words: “cold, dark, silent”?
Gloomy / lonely / tense.
Use context to define “futile” from See It Through.
Useless; not effective.
What is meter?
The pattern of stressed and unstressed beats in a poem.
Identify the figurative language:
“The clouds swallowed the sun.”
Personification
How does a poet show theme?
Through imagery, actions, rhythm, repetition, or tone.
A poet uses fast-paced short lines with strong verbs. What mood does this create?
Excitement, energy, urgency.
What does “grim” mean in the line:
“Your future may seem grim”?
Dark, worrying, unpleasant.