Terminology for Analyzing Poetry 

 
A. Figurative Language (Circled)
Simile: ​a comparison of two unlike things using like or as
Metaphor: ​comparison of two unlike things suggesting a shared common quality; doesn't use like or as
Extended Metaphor: ​a metaphor introduced and then further developed throughout all or part of a poem
Personification: ​giving human qualities to inanimate things
Hyperbole: ​exaggeration for purpose and effect
Allusion: ​reference to mythology, history, literature or The Bible

B. General Poetic Devices (Boxed)

Mood: ​also known as atmosphere, it is the overall feeling for the audience an author creates in his writing
Denotation:​ dictionary definition; the exact meaning of a word
Connotation:​ an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning; the implied, subjective
meaning of a word
Diction:​ word choice
Imagery: ​description that appeals to our physical senses (touch/tactile, taste/gustatory, sight/visual,
sound/auditory, smell/olfactory)
Symbolism: ​when an object/word represents an abstract idea

C. Structure/Form (Underlined)
Line: ​a group of words arranged into a row that ends for a reason other than the right-hand margin
Stanza:​ a group of verse lines forming a section of a poem; a poetic paragraph
Refrain: ​a verse or phrase that is repeated at intervals throughout a song or poem
Formal Verse: ​poetry that follows a set rhythm and rhyme scheme
Free Verse: ​poetry that is not written in a traditional meter but is still rhythmical

D. Sound Devices (Squiggly Line)

Rhythm: ​the “beat” of the poem, the pattern of sound created by meter and other sound devices
Alliteration: ​repetition of initial identical consonant or vowel sounds in successive or closely associated words
Onomatopoeia: ​words whose pronunciations suggest their meaning; the use of words developed in imitation of
the sounds they designate (Examples: hiss, slam, buzz, whirr, sizzle, bang)
Perfect Rhyme*: ​AKA true rhyme, full rhyme; rhyme in which different consonants are followed by identical
vowel and consonant sounds, such as moon and June. Note: When we annotate poems, we identify rhyme by
putting letters at the ends of each line. Repeated letters (like a on line 1 and a on line 2) mean those two lines end
on a rhyme. X means the line does not rhyme with any others.
Repetition: ​the action of repeating something that has already been said or written

Big Picture Terms

➢ Topic: the subject matter discussed in the writing; what the story is about; one word
○ Examples: ​Love, hate, good, evil, perseverance, loyalty, sacrifice, hope, family, patience
➢ Theme: the message; what the author believes about life/people; the author’s main idea; the point being made; one
sentence
○ Example: ​Evil acts do not bring good fortune.
○ Example: ​A person’s gender does not determine their level of self-control.
○ Example: ​Love is often more powerful than death.