Poetry Terms

Alliteration

Repetition of the same or very similar constant sounds usually at the beginning of words that are close together in a poem

Assonance

Repetition of similar vowel sounds

Ballad

a song or songlike poem that tells a story.

End Rhyme

Rhyme that occurs at the end of two or more lines of poetry

Internal Rhyme

a rhyme between words in the same line

Rhyme Scheme

the pattern of rhyme in a poem

Rhyme

the repetition of sounds at the ends of words

Meter

a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry

Hyperbole

a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor

Sonnet

a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

Stanza

a fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem

Couplet

two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

Imagery

language that appeals to the senses

Narrative Poetry

poetry that tells a story

Lyric Poetry

Personal, reflective poetry that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject

Dramatic Poetry

poetry in which one or more characters speak

Epic

a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

Blank Verse

unrhymed verse (usually in iambic pentameter)

Free Verse

Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme

Refrain

a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song

Metaphor

a figure of speech comparing to unlike things without using like or as

Simile

a comparison of two unlike things using like or as

Personification

A figure of speech in which an animal, an object, or an idea is given human form or characteristics

Poetry

A kind of rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery designed to appeal to our emotions and imagination.

Parellelism

Repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the same grammatical structure.

Onomatopoeia

Use of a word whose sound imitates its meaning.

Haiku

Japanese verse form. 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, and 5 in the third.

Iambic Pentameter

Line of poetry that contains five iambs.