1. Poetry Terminology
A quick guide

2. The pattern of identifying rhymes in a poem using an alphabetic code
Rhyme Scheme

3. The pattern of stressed/unstressed syllables in each line of poetry
Meter

4. a metrical unit of 2 syllables
Foot

5. a group of lines forming the basic recurring pattern in a poem; a verse
Stanza

6. a stanza of 4 lines, especially one having alternate rhymes
Quatrain

7. a pair of lines that rhyme
Couplet

8. repeated sounds, phrases, or images
Repetition

9. repetition of consonant sounds in the beginnings of words
Alliteration

10. repetition of consonant sounds
Consonance

11. repetition of vowel sounds
Assonance

12. a word that stands for a sound; a “sound effect word”
Onomatopoeia

13. Comparing 2 things using “like” or “as”
Simile

14. Comparing 2 things without using “like” or “as”
Metaphor

15. giving something non-human human characteristics
Personification

16. a story told in verse, often with a repeated refrain; these are typically about heroes, adventures, or historical events
Ballad

17. The theme song to Gilligan’s Island is an example of a ballad because it is a narrative poem that tells about an adventure.

18. a 14 line poem with three rhyming quatrains and a rhyming couplet, made famous by William Shakespeare
Shakespearean Sonnet

19. Shakespearean sonnets have a fairly simple pattern (3 quatrains + 1 couplet). With a few simple adjustments, most songs can be altered to fit the structure of a sonnet.
The theme song to the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air television show-->

20. a sad poem, usually reflecting on someone’s death
Elegy

21. This song from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera contains a beautiful elegy in which Christine sings in memory of her deceased father.