Poetry Terms Flashcards
Verse
term used to describe poetic lines composed in a measured rhythmical pattern, that are often, but not necessarily, rhymed
Stanza
section of poem/like a paragraph in prose
Couplet
2 lines
Repetition
repeating words, lines, or ideas to make a point
Refrain
a line or group of lines repeated regularly or irregularly
Blank Verse
unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter (10 syllables, every other syllable is stressed; the way Shakespeare writes his plays)
Rhyme
repetition of identical or similar concluding syllables in different words, most often at the end of lines
Meter
when a rhythmic pattern of stresses reoccurs in a poem, it is called meter
Rhythm
term used to refer to the recurrence of stressed and unstressed sounds in poetry
Metaphor
comparing two things NOT using like or as
Simile
comparing two things USING like or as
Personification
giving nonhuman thugs human characteristics
Hyperbole
an enormous exaggeration
Symbol
something small representing something larger
Alliteration
repetition of the same consonant sound in a sequence of words, usually at the beginning of a word or stressed syllable (Descending Dew Drops)
Consonance
common type near rhyme the consists of identical consonant sounds preceded by different vowel sounds: home, same ( wORTH, brEATH)
Assonance
repetition of internal vowel sounds in nearby words that do not end the same ( aslEEp under a trEE)
Imagery
word that paints pictures in readers’ minds
Mood
the way the setting affects the readers and characters
Tone
how the AUTHOR feels about his characters and subject
Allusion
reference to another literary work, person, place, or time
Onomatopoeia
a word or combination of words that resemble specific sounds (buzz, rattle, band)
Archetype
term used to describe universal symbols that evoke deep and sometimes unconscious responses in a reader. Common literary archetypes include stories of quests, initiations, descents to the underworld, and ascents to heaven
Speaker
the voice used by an author to tell or speak a poem. The speaker is often a created identity and should not automatically be equated with the author’s self
Prose
the way we write and speak, no rhyme or economy of words
