Poetic Devices The Sounds of Poetry

Repetition Repeating a word or words for effect. Example When you, my Dear, are away, away, How wearily goes the creeping day.

Rhythm When words are arranged in such a way that they make a pattern or beat. Example There once was a girl from Chicago Who dyed her hair pink in the bathtub I own a solace shut within my heart, A garden full of many a quaint delight Hint: hum the words instead of saying them.

Meter Meter is a unit of rhythm in poetry, the pattern of the beats. It is also called a foot. Each foot has a certain number of syllables in it, usually two or three syllables. The difference in types of meter is which syllables are accented and which are not. Shmoop Meter Video

Rhyme When words have the same end sound. Happens at the beginning, end, or middle of lines. Examples Where Fair Air Bear Glare

Rhyme Scheme The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme; lines designated with the same letter all rhyme with each other. The people along the sand (A) All turn and look one way. (B) They turn their back on the land. (A) They look at the sea all day. (B) As long as it takes to pass (C) A ship keeps raising its hull; (C) The wetter ground like glass (D) Reflects a standing gull. (D)

Onomatopoeia When a word’s pronunciation imitates its sound. Examples Buzz Fizz Woof Hiss Clink Boom Beep Vroom Zip

Alliteration When the first sounds in words repeat. Example Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper. Slim-pinioned swallows sweep and pass

Consonance When consonants repeat in the middle or end of words. Creates a near rhyme sound Examples Fixed in onyx A pillar of valor The calm lamb Fish in a mesh net

Assonance When vowel sounds repeat in words close to each other in a poem. Creates an internal rhyme sound Examples The light of the fire is a sight Go slow over the road The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain

Practice Quiz I’ll put some lines of poetry on the board. Write down which techniques are used: Alliteration, consonance, rhythm, rhyme, and onomatopoeia. Some poems use more than one technique.

1 Oh! To be a wave Splintering on the sand, Drawing back, but leaving Lingeringly the land.

2 Drip--hiss--drip--hiss– fall the raindrops on the oaken log which burns, and steams, and smokes the ceiling beams. Drip--hiss--the rain never stops.

3 A trumpet-vine covered an arbour With the red and gold of its blossoms. Red and gold like the brass notes of Trumpets.

4 I passed through the gates of the city, The streets were strange and still, Through the doors of the open churches The organs were moaning shrill.

5 Upon the enchanted ladder of his rhymes, Round after round and patiently The poet ever upward climbs.

Answers 1. Rhythm, rhyme, consonance, alliteration. 2. Onomatopoeia, consonance, repetition, rhyme Alliteration, consonance, repetition Rhythm, rhyme, alliteration Repetition, rhyme, light alliteration