Poetry and Literary Terms

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Stanza

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A grouped set of lines within a poem, often set off by a blank line or indentation.

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Speaker

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The voice or persona delivering the poem, not necessarily the author.

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Senses

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The use of sensory details to engage the reader's senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell).

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Paraphrase

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A restatement of a text or passage in your own words.

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Simile

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A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

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Metaphor

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A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

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Narrative Poetry

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Poetry that tells a story and includes a plot, characters, and a setting.

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Lyric Poetry

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A type of emotional song-like poetry, distinguished from dramatic and narrative poetry.

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Concrete Poem

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A poem in which the arrangement of words on the page forms a shape or image related to the poem's subject.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words or syllables.