poetic devices
a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.”
simile
an English playwright, poet and actor
William Shakespeare
the use of descriptive language to create a picture in the reader's mind, appealing to the sense of sight
visual imagery
line
line
a short unrhymed Japanese poem that traditionally has a 5-7-5 syllable structure
haiku
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
alliteration
an American poet, depicted rural life and the complexities of human existence through his accessible yet profound poetry, earning him four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
Robert Frost
descriptions that appeal to the sense of touch, helping the reader experience physical sensations through words
tactile imagery
the ‘break’ from one line to another
line break
14 line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and each line containing 10 syllables
sonnet
when human features are given to something that is not human
personification
a prolific and successful poet and stood up for black rights
Maya Angelou
the use of language to evoke the sense of taste in the reader's mind
gustatory imagery
a line that ends with a punctuation
end stopped line
poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular rhythm.
free verse
An exaggeration used for emphasis or effect
hyperbole
an American poet and novelist, delved into themes of mental illness, womanhood, and existentialism through her confessional poetry, leaving behind a profound literary legacy despite her tragic death.
Sylvia Plath
the use of vivid descriptions that appeal to the reader's sense of smell
olfactory imagery
These lines continue onto the next line without a pause, creating a sense of flow and momentum.
enjambment
a form of found poetry where a poet takes an existing text and creates a new poem by redacting, or blacking out, unwanted words and phrases
blackout poem
describes any instance when the speaker talks to a person or object that is absent from the poem
Apostrophe
an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry.
Taylor Swift's Sixth Cousin
the use of language to evoke a sense of physical movement, action, or bodily sensation
kineasthetic imagery
punctuation in the middle of a line
caesura
a poem with six stanzas of six lines and a final triplet
sestina