poetry
writing that uses lines and stanzas, does not follow all the rules and conventions of our language
prose
standard written English; not drama or poetry; uses sentences, paragraphs, and punctuation
line
single row of words in a poem
stanza
group of lines in a poem; separated by blank spaces; like a paragraph in prose
couplet
two lines of poetry together
tercet
three lines of poetry together
quatrain
four lines of poetry together
Lyric poetry
poetry that expresses emotions
narrative poetry
poetry that tells a story
speaker
narrator in lyric poetry
haiku
Japanese poetic form with 3 lines; usually about nature; 5-7-5 syllable pattern
limerick
humorous 5-line poem with a,a,b,b,a rhyme scheme and a specific rhythm
ballad
song-like narrative poem; tells a story; has a refrain
free verse
poetry without rhyme or rhythm
sonnet
fourteen-line lyric poem
concrete poem
poem shaped like the subject of the poem
figurative language
writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally; doesn’t mean exactly what it says
metaphor
comparison of two unlike things as if one were the other; does not use the words “like” or “as”
simile
comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”
hyperbole
exaggeration intentionally used for effect or to make a point
personification
giving human characteristics to non-human things
idiom
an expression whose meaning cannot be determined by the meanings of the individual words.
imagery
words to appeal to our senses and help us create images in our heads
sound devices
appeal to the reader’s ear and make the poetry more musical
rhyme
repetition of the ending sounds of words
repetition
repeating words, phrases, lines, stanzas, and even sounds in a poem
slant rhyme
near rhyme; rhymes that are close but not perfect
rhythm
pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry
meter
regular pattern of rhythm created by using a pattern of syllables
alliteration
repetition of beginning consonant sounds in words near other in poetry
onomatopoiea
words that imitate sounds
symbol
an object or item used to represent something else