Poetry ­­ Alliteration Alliteration ­­ ​
the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together. Use this technique to add beauty and musicality For example… * Behemoth, biggest born or earth, upheaved his vastness. ­­ John Milton * We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain­­ We passed the Setting Sun ­­ ­­ Emily Dickinson * Brazen bells! What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells! ­­ Edgar Allen Poe * In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. ­­ Samuel Taylor Coleridge * I’m the Ladies Love, legend in leather Long and lean, and I don’t wear pleather ­­ LL Cool J * Peter Piper picked peppers But Run rocked rhymes ­­ Run DMC * Representin’ the West, relevant to relentless sentences. If renegade rebels resent this wicked syntax Revert to revolution Ras reverses, reverberates Revolvin’ with written retaliation… ­­ Ras Kass A​
. Read Edwin Muir “The Horses” pp 474­5. * Identify the repeated consonant sound in lines 15­17. What effect does this repetition have on these lines? * What examples of alliteration do you see in line 20? B​
. Identify the alliteration in the following sentences. 1. Jumping Jennifer jammed Johnny’s jaw full of jellybeans. 2. Silly Susan swims under the summer sun. 3. Pretty Paula pounced on Penelope’s purple pancake. C​
. Finish these sentences using alliteration. 1. Terrific Tony ______________________________________ 2. English earmuffs ___________________________________ 3. Black bears and brown bugs __________________________ D​
. Tongue twisters are built on alliteration. Try to recite some of the following aloud. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? You cuss, I cuss, we all cuss, for asparagus! from a ​
Far Side ​
cartoon by Gary Larson Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep. The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed Shilly­shallied south. The big black bug bit the big black bear, but the big black bear bit the big black bug back! Luke's duck likes lakes. Luke Luck licks lakes. Luke's duck licks lakes. Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes. Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes. from Dr. Seuss' ​
Fox in Socks How much wood could Chuck Woods' woodchuck chuck, if Chuck Woods' woodchuck could and would chuck wood? If Chuck Woods' woodchuck could and would chuck wood, how much wood could and would Chuck Woods' woodchuck chuck? Chuck Woods' woodchuck would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood as any woodchuck would, if a woodchuck could and would chuck wood. Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew. While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew. Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze. Freezy trees made these trees' cheese freeze. That's what made these three free fleas sneeze. from ​
Fox in Sox ​
by Dr. Seuss She sells sea shells by the sea shore. And the shells she sells are surely sea shells. Since she sells shells by the sea shore, I'm sure the shells she sells are seashore shells. E​
. Create your own “original” tongue twister using alliteration. F​
. Alliteration can get kind of crazy. See how long of a sentence you can create using alliteration. The meaning of the sentences should make sense! (20 words?) For example… The powers of prunes are prudent to provide potent pallitive prophylaxis of potential pooper problems, priming you for purging.