Poetry Terms and Definitions

Front

Speaker

Back

Voice used by the author of the poem, often a persona rather than the author's actual self.

Front

Setting

Back

Physical or temporal location where the poem takes place.

Front

Diction

Back

Writer's choice of words, phrases, sentence structure, and figurative language.

Front

Denotation

Back

Literal, dictionary meaning of a word.

Front

Connotation

Back

Associations and implications beyond a word's literal meaning.

Front

Tone

Back

Writer's attitude toward the subject, creating the mood of the poem.

Front

Imagery

Back

Word, phrase, or figure of speech addressing the senses, conveying emotions and moods.

Front

Allusion

Back

Brief reference to a person, place, thing, event, or idea in history or literature.

Front

Metaphor

Back

Comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as.'

Front

Simile

Back

Comparison between two things using words like, as, than, appears, or seems.