literary analysis: sound devices
You may have heard or read poems that sound almost like
songs. Poetry gets many of its musical qualities from sound
devices. Sound devices can also suggest meaning or add
emphasis. Three commonly used sound devices are
• repetition, or the use of a word, phrase, or line several times
(Example: It was a good song, a sad song, a sweet song.)
• onomatopoeia (JnQE-mBtQE-pCPE), or the use of words that
sound like their meanings (Examples: buzz, zap)
• alliteration, or the repetition of the same consonant sound
at the beginning of words (Example: magical mountain mist)
A poet might use these devices to draw attention to a
particular line or idea. As you read “Windshield Wiper” and
“Night Journey,” record examples of these devices.
Repetition
Onomatopoeia
Alliteration
tissue paper/
tissue paper
reading skill: understand form
Poets do more than just choose their words carefully. They
also pay special attention to how the words are arranged on
a page. This is called form. The form of a poem can affect
how it sounds when you read it aloud. It can also affect the
poem’s meaning.
To understand a poem, ask yourself these questions:
• Are the lines short or long? Are they interrupted by extra
space?
• How would you describe the overall shape of the poem on
the page?
• In reading the poem aloud, how does line length and
overall shape affect the speed of your reading?
Each of the following poems describes a moving object.
As you read each poem, notice how form helps reflect the
subject of the poem.
Eve Merriam: Lover
of Language
Eve Merriam’s
advice on how
to appreciate
poetry was “Eat
it, drink it, enjoy
it, and share it.”
Merriam began
writing poetry at
Eve Merriam
age seven. She
1916–1992
loved rhythm and
rhyme and the way poems came to
life when read aloud. After college,
she continued to write poetry while
working as a writer in advertising and
radio. Merriam particularly enjoyed
sharing her love of poetry with young
readers.
Theodore Roethke:
Reluctant Poet
Theodore Roethke
spent his childhood
reading and longed
to write beautifully,
but he struggled
with the idea of
becoming a poet.
Worried about
Theodore Roethke
fitting in, he went
1908–1963
to law school—but
quickly decided to become a poet after
all. Roethke eventually won a Pulitzer
Prize for his poetry. Much of his
work explores the natural world and
memories of his childhood.
more about the author
For more on Eve Merriam and
Theodore Roethke, visit the Literature
Center at ClassZone.com.
windshield wiper / night journey
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