Poetry Terms

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Rhyme Scheme

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The pattern established by the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or poem, generally described by using letters of the alphabet to denote the recurrence of rhyming lines, such as ababbcc.

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Irony

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A situation or statement in which the actual outcome or meaning is opposite to what was expected.

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Assonance

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The repetition of vowel sounds, such as in neigh/fade.

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Onomatopoeia

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The use of words that sound like what they mean, such as 'hiss,' 'buzz,' 'slam,' and 'boom.'

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Internal Rhyme

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Rhyme contained within a line.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words, such as 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

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Metaphor

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A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as,' such as 'Time is a thief.'

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Simile

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A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as,' such as 'as brave as a lion.'

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Personification

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Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities, such as 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

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Symbolism

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The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, such as a dove representing peace.