Poetry techniques Flashcards
simile
A comparison using like or as
Metaphor
Where two things are compared without using like or as; instead saying one IS the other
Onomatopoeia
A word that mimics the sound it makes
(crackle, fizzle, boom)
Personification
When a nonhuman thing or abstract idea is given a human attributes
Alliteration
Two or more words starting with the same sound or letter
Sibilance
Two or more words starting with an s-sound
Enjambement
Where there is no punctuation at the end of a line of poetry so you can keep reading onto the next line
Caesura
A natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line
Anaphora
When words or phrases are repeated at the beginning of phrases or sentences
Stanza
The way a poem is divided into chunks of lines also known as a verse
Rhyme
The occurrence of the same or similar sounds at the end of two or more words
Narrative Voice
The narrative voice is the voice which ‘tells’ a story. This can be third person (he, she, they) or first person (I)
Free Verse
A poem which has no regular rhythm or rhyme scheme
Structure
The organisation of a poem into sections. This includes the line length, the number of lines in a stanza, the number of stanzas.
Ellipsis
…
This can indicate something open ended, can create suspense or can encourage the reader to complete the idea themselves
