Poetry Key Terminology

Rhyme When two or more words end with the same sound i.e. Cat & Literary Devices A technique a writer uses to produce a special effect in their
Hat, Bird & Third, Cheat & Wheat. writing.

Rhyme Scheme The pattern of rhyming words Simile A figure of speech involving the
within a poem. comparison of one thing with another
thing of a different kind, used to make
a description more emphatic or vivid.
Imperfect Rhyme When two or more words almost Juxtaposition The fact of two things being seen or
end with the same sound. placed close together with contrasting
effect.
Rhythm A strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound. Foreshadowing Be a warning or indication of (a future
event).

Meter Meter is a stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse, or
within the lines of a poem. Stressed syllables tend to be longer,
and unstressed shorter. In simple language, meter is a poetic
device that serves as a linguistic sound pattern for the verses, as
it gives poetry a rhythmical and melodious sound.
Form The physical structure of the poem.
Metaphor A figure of speech in which a word or
phrase is applied to an object or action
to which it is not literally applicable.
Symbolism Symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects or facts.

Stanza A grouping of lines within a poem. Imagery Visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a
literary work.

Couplet A stanza of only two (2) lines. Meaning / Intended to communicate something that is not directly
Conveyed Meaning expressed.
Sometimes poems have an obvious meaning, and a suggested
Tercet A stanza of only three (3) lines. meaning, and a meaning that can be interpreted.

Quatrain A stanza of only four (4) lines. Onomatopoeia The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is
named (e.g. cuckoo, sizzle).
Cinquain A stanza of only five (5) lines. Villanelle A pastoral of lyrical poem of nineteen lines, with only two
rhymes throughout, and some lines repeated.
Sestet A stanza of only six (6) lines. Sonnet A poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal
rhyme schemes, in English typically having ten syllables per
line.
Septet A stanza of only seven (7) lines. Narrative A spoken or written account of connected events.

Octave A stanza of only eight (8) lines. Synecdoche A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the
whole.