Poetry
A poem is a type of writing designed to convey experiences, ideas, or emotions in a vivid and
imaginative way. Poems are characterized by literary techniques such as meter and rhyme.
These, and other terms, are defined below.
Alliteration
The repetition of the beginning sounds of words is called alliteration. For example, he's a lilylivered landlubber.
Assonance
The repetition of vowels without repetition of consonants is called assonance. For example, it's a
holy stony pony.
Ballad
A narrative poem (a poem that tells a story) that is intended to be sung; it is made up of simple
stanzas and usually has a refrain that is repeated.
Cinquain
(pronounced sing-KANE) A five-line stanza of syllabic verse, the successive lines containing
two, four, six, eight, and two syllables. The cinquain is based on the Japanese haiku.
Couplet
Two lines with end words that rhyme.
Haiku
(pronounced HIGH-koo) A Japanese form of poetry, also known as hokku. It consists of three
unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. See the example below.
Internal Rhyme
A rhyme in which at least one of the rhyming words is somewhere within a line of poetry and
both rhyming words are often in the same line. For example, a spatter a scatter a wet cat a clatter.
Spatter, scatter, and clatter all rhyme and all are in the same line.
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to
designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in "a sea of troubles" or "All the
world's a stage" (Shakespeare).
Meter
The rhythmic pattern of a stanza, determined by the kind and number of lines. The number of
syllables in each line of a stanza can determine the meter.
Onomatopoeia
The use of words such as buzz or moo that imitate the sounds associated with the objects they
refer to.
Repetition
Sometimes, writers want to make sure that you get the point of a certain sentence or idea, so he
or she repeats certain words or groups of words. Pay attention to words that are repeated.
Sometimes, repeated words can help you figure out what's coming next in a piece of writing.
Rhyme
Rhyming words are two words that sound alike. Run and done rhyme with each other. Many of
the poems that you read are rhyming poems.
Rhythm
Rhythm is a pattern of sounds that makes a poem sound musical. It is the up-and-down, highand-low sounds the syllables in words make when they're written out in lines. If each line in a
poem has the same number of syllables, the poem most likely has a rhythm. Words in rap songs
have a certain beat or "flow" very similar to the words in poems.
Simile
A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase
introduced by like or as, as in "How like the winter hath my absence been" or "So are you to my
thoughts as food to life" (Shakespeare).
Sonnet
A sonnet is a form of poetry written in fourteen lines and ending in a couplet. Sonnets also have
a specific rhythm the poet must follow.
Stanza
A division of a poem made by arranging the lines into units separated by a space, usually of a
corresponding number of lines, and a recurrent pattern of meter and rhyme. A poem with such
divisions is described as having a stanzaic form. See the example below.
Rhyme Scheme
Rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyme in a poem. To find a poem's rhyme scheme, look at the
last word of each line. If there is a rhyme scheme, some of the last words will rhyme with each
other. Remember that not all poems have a rhyme scheme.
You can describe rhyme scheme in two ways. You can assign a letter to the sound of each line's
last word. You can also just describe where the rhyming words are. Look at the examples below.
AABB
Every two lines rhyme.
A castle floats on swirls of white. (A)
A dragon soars with all his might. (A)
A giant in a splendid pose,
(B)
A walrus with a silly nose.
(B)
In this poem, the letter A represents the "ite" sound. The letter B represents the "ose" sound.
That's why you call this rhyme scheme AABB.
ABCB
The second and fourth line of each stanza rhyme.
Susan went to school today
(A)
And met a new friend, Hannah.
(B)
They hopped and skipped at recess (C)
And split a sweet banana.
(B)
ABAB
Every other line rhymes.
Some flowers only bloom in Spring. (A)
Their beauty brings us joy each year. (B)
In tall oak trees the blue birds sing (A)
To see the colors reappear.
(B)
No Rhyme
The author uses unrhyming verse.
I gaze at the stars above
And wonder what is out there.
Are there things that look like us
Or creatures that are creepy?