Definitions
The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
What is: Alliteration
A poem that can be read forwards (top to bottom) and have one meaning, but can also be read backwards (bottom to top) and have a different/opposite meaning
Reverse Poetry
"Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say-"
What is: Simile
"Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are,
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky"
AABB
Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
What is: Hyperbole
A sustained metaphor. A detailed and complex metaphor that stretches through a long section of work.
"There was death at every window; and hell at one dark window."
What is: Metaphor
"There is no magic anymore,
We meet as other people do,
You work no miracle for me,
Nor I do for you. "
ABCB
A figure of speech in which the sound of a word imitates its sense (for example: choo-choo)
Onomatopoeia
A poem that doesn't follow any specific rules such as rhythm or rhyme scheme.
Free verse poem
"You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness"
What is: Personification
"The coolness of the night,
Refreshes my skin,
Stars shine so bright,
Causes me to grin."
ABAB
A Poetic device where animals, plants, or even inanimate objects are given human qualities - resulting in a poem full of imagery and description
Personification
A poem where an entire page or writing is given and the writer circles individual words to create a new meaning. Artwork is also used to convey this poems meaning with the rest of the space in the page.
What is: Blackout/found
"Waiting to mutilate whole generations, ten generations at a blow."
What is: Hyperbole
"let me fetch sticks,
let me fetch stones,
Throw me my bones,
Teach me your tricks"
ABBA
The expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or empathetic affect.
Irony
This poem has a word laid out vertically with each letters of the word as the first letter to a something relating to the entire word, or can tell a story about the word.
what is: Acrostic
"Out of the belly of Christopher's ship":
What is: Allusion
"Hickory dickory dock.
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
And down he run.
Hickory dickory dock."
AABBA