Poetry Terms

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What is onomatopoeia?

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Words that sound like the object or actions they refer to, e.g., 'buzz', 'bang', 'sizzle'.

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What is a symbol in poetry?

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An object, character, or event that represents a deeper meaning or idea, e.g., a dove symbolizes peace.

Front

What is meter in poetry?

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The rhythmical pattern in a poem, determined by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Front

What is alliteration?

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

Front

What is rhyme?

Back

The repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines in poetry, e.g., 'cat' and 'hat'.

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What is assonance?

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The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words, e.g., 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'

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What is consonance?

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The repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity, e.g., 'pitter patter'.

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What is a simile?

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A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as', e.g., 'as brave as a lion'.

Front

What is a metaphor?

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

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What is imagery in poetry?

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind.