Poetic Devices

sensory language

• Descriptive phrases designed to help the reader imagine what it was like, using the senses (what it looked like, felt like, smelled like, sounded like, tasted like).

• Technical jargon used to describe scientific concepts.

• Abstract language that conveys emotions without sensory details.

• Simple language that avoids complex descriptions.

onomatopoeia

• Words that sound like what they describe. Ex: “drip,” “vroom,” “tick-tock.”

• Words that have opposite meanings.

• Words that are difficult to pronounce.

• Words that describe emotions.

rhyme scheme

• Pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line.

• A type of poem that does not rhyme.

• A structure that defines the length of a poem.

• A technique used to create alliteration.

rhythm

• The pattern of sounds in a poem.

• The emotional tone of the poem.

• The “beat” of the poem, including pace and pauses.

• The theme or main idea of the poem.

poet

• Writes the poem.

• Reads the poem.

• Illustrates the poem.

• Critiques the poem.

stanza breaks

• Space between stanzas, which usually indicates some kind of a change.

• A type of rhyme scheme used in poetry.

• A literary device that involves the repetition of sounds.

• A method of organizing thoughts in prose.

internal rhyme

• Words that rhyme at the end of lines.

• Words that rhyme within the same line. Ex: “But though we all may fall, courage returns us to our feet.”

• Words that have similar sounds but do not rhyme.

• Words that are used to create a rhythm in poetry.

speaker

• Narrates the poem.

• Describes the setting.

• Analyzes the theme.

• Introduces the characters.

punctuation

• Used in poetry as a sound device, for the purpose of pauses and emphasis (commas, dashes, and end punctuation)

• A method of organizing text into paragraphs and sections

• A technique for creating rhythm in prose

• A style of writing that avoids the use of any symbols

hyperbole

• An over-exaggeration. Ex: “I’ve waited for a thousand years, and I will wait for a thousand more.”

• A subtle comparison between two unlike things.

• A statement that is literally true without exaggeration.

• A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison.