Poetry Notes Part 2 Poetic Devices The technique behind the words
Figurative Language What is figurative language? Language using figures of speech (a way of saying one thing and meaning another) Why use it? Figurative language helps a writer show meaning and expression. If a writer does not create an image in the reader ’ s mind, he will lose the reader ’ s attention.
Simile A figure of speech that creates a comparison between two things usually unalike. The comparison is made by using such words or phrases as like, as, than, similar to, resembles, appears, or seems. EX: “ Her eyes are like stars! ” “ Life is like a box of chocolate. ”
Metaphor A figure of speech that creates a comparison between two things usually unalike. Doesn ’ t use connective words such as like or as. EX: “ Her eyes are jewels! ” “ Life is a game. ”
Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas). EX: “ The diamonds are jealous of your beauty! ” "The wind whispered through the night."
Alliteration Is the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words. EX: “Seattle Seahwaks” “Tim taught gym class every Tuesday”
Stanza A stanza is a group of lines that act like sentences. The sentences combine together to make stanzas, or paragraphs, of poetry.
Repetition Poets can utilize this technique to repeat sounds, vowels, consonants, words, single lines, or in fact whole stanzas. This repetition can help create images and feelings for the reader. EX: “ Quoth the Raven, ‘ Nevermore. ’ ”
Rhyme Scheme The pattern established by the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or poem, generally described by using letters of the alphabet to denote the recurrence of rhyming lines, such as the ababbcc I put a piece of cantaloupea Underneath the microscopea I saw a million strange things sleepen ’ b I saw a zillion weird things creepen ’ b