Poetry Terms Flashcards
Assonance
the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds, especially in words close together
ex: “matron and maid” “a” sound, “old ocean” “o” sounds
Alliteration
the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together
ex: “host of heaven” “matron and maid” “sustained and soothed”
Ballad
a song or poem that tells a story
consonance
the repetition of same or similar final consonant sounds on accented syllables or in important words
Figure of speech
a word or phrase that describes one thing in terms of something else and that is not meant to be taken literally
ex: “eyes had wrung them dry” “the windows failed”
Free verse
poetry that does not conform to regular meter or rhyme scheme
Imagery
the use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, a thing, a place, or an experience
ex: “Walked out in the rain” “passed by the watchman on his beat” “one luminary clock against the sky”
lyric poem
a poem that does not tell a story, but expresses the personal feelings or thoughts of a speaker
metaphor
a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of such specific words of comparison as like, as, than, or resembles
meter
a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry
ode
a lyric poem, usually long, on a serious subject and written in dignified language
onomatopoeia
the use of a word whose sound imitates or suggest it’s meaning
oxymoron
a figure of speech that combines opposite terms or contradicting terms in a brief phrase
personification
a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts or attitudes
ex: “The carriage held but just ourselves and Immortality” “The Dews drew quivering and chil” “Because I could not stop for death- he kindly stopped for me”
rhyme
the repetition of vowel sounds in accented syllables and all succeeding syllables
rhythm
the alteration of stressed and unstressed syllables in a language
sonnet
a fourteen line poem usually written in iambic pentameter that has one or two basic structures
speaker
the voice that address the reader in the poem
stanza
a group of consecutive lines that forms a structural unit in a poem
Puritan plain style
the writing style of puritans reflected the plain style of their lives- spare, simple, and straightforward. puritan plain style is characterized by short words, direct statements, and references to ordinary, everyday objects. puritans believed that poetry should serve God by clearly expressing only useful or religious ideas. Poetry appealing to the senses or emotions was dangerous.
