POETIC TERMS

ALLITERATION - Repetition of consonantal sounds at the beginning of a series of words: Peter Piper picked a peck of peppers ASSONANCE - Repetition of vowel sounds within a series of words: The sound went around the town ALLUSION - reference to a person, event or work outside of the poem. BALLAD - A poem which tells a story similar to a folk tale or legend BLANK VERSE - unrhymed iambic pentameter CAESURA - A natural line or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways CLOSED FORM - A poem which uses a fixed structure or pattern in terms of rhyme, line length and meter. CONSONANCE - Repetition of consonantal sounds within or at the end of a series of words: picked a peck of pickled peppers COUPLET - In a poem, a pair of lines which are the same length and usually rhyme or form a complete thought. ELEGY- a poem which laments the death of someone or is simply sad and thoughtful. ENJAMBMENT- The continuation of a complete idea( a sentence or clause) from one line or couplet of a poem to the next line or couplet without pause. EPIC- A long serious poem that tells the story of a heroic figure. FOOT- Two or more syllables that make up the smallest unit of rhythm in a poem. FREE VERSE- Lines with no prescribed pattern or structure HEROIC COUPLET- A stanza composed of two rhymed lines in iambic pentameter HYPERBOLE- exaggeration used for effect: The days crawled by like years and I wept a million tears

IAMB- A metrical foot of two syllables, one short ( or unstressed) and one long ( stressed). IAMBIC PENTAMETER- a line of poetry containing 10 syllables where every other syllable is stressed. IRONY- a contradiction of expectation between what is said and what is meant or when a character speaks in ignorance of a situation known to the audience. METAPHOR- When something is described as if it is something else: He was a lion in the fight METER- The arrangement of a line of poetry by the number of syllables and the rhythm of stressed syllables. ONOMATOPOIEA- words which describe sounds: Bang! Crash! Crack! OPEN FORM- A poem which does not use a fixed structure or pattern in terms of line length, metre and rhyme. OXYMORON- a combination of two words that appear to contradict each other or are placed together for a certain effect; Loving hate bittersweet PERSONIFICATION- When an inanimate object is given human qualities and feelings: The tree waved its arms angrily in the raging storm PERSONA- Character in the poem PUN-A play on words or a humorous use of a single word with two or more implied meanings. REPETITION-When a word or phrase is repeated for a specific effect: The long, long years of sorrow SIBILANCE- repetition of s sounds, usually gives a calming effect; icicles sink softly onto the snow SIMILE- When something is compared to something else , using as or like: He was like a lion in the fight, as cold as ice STANZA- Unit of a poem often repeated in the same form throughout the poem. ( verse paragraph) SYMBOL- Something which represents something else; white dove