Poetry Terms Flashcards
the repitition of initial stressed, consonant sounds in a series of words within a phrase or verse line
Ex. She seems so sad
alliteration
a division or unit of a poem that is repeated in the same form
either w/ similar or identical patterns or rhyme and meter, or w/ variations from one stanza to another —-
stanza
a three-line stanza
The three-line stanzas or sections that together constitute the sestet of a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet
tercet
a four-line stanza in a poem, the first 4 lines & the second four lines in a petrachan sonnet.
quatrain
a six-line unit of verse constituting a stanza or section of a poem ; the last six lines of an Italian sonnet
sestet
an eight-line unit, which may constitute a stanza ; or a section of a poem, as in the octave of a sonnet
octave
the matching of final vowel or constant sounds in two or more words
rhyme
a pair of rhymed lines that may or may not constitute a separate stanza in a poem
couplet
the recurrence of accent or stress in lines of verse.
ex. I said to my baby
Baby take it slow
rhythm
a brief, intentional reference to a historical, mythic, or literary person, place, event, or movement -
allusion
the repetition of vowel sounds w/o repeating consonants ; sometimes called vowel rhyme
assonance
a figure of speech composed of a striking-exaggeration.
usually carries the force of strong emotion
ex. She scorched you with her radiance
hyperbole
a comparison that is made directly or less directly but in any case w/o pointing out a similarity by using words such as “like”, “as”, or “than”
Metaphor
a figure of speech in which the sound of a word imitates it sense
ex. choo-choo, hiss, buzz
onomatopoeia
a figure of speech that brings together contradictory words for effect
ex. jumbo-shrimp
oxymoron
