PoeticDevicesWorksheet

PoeticDevice
Definition
simile
acomparisonbetweentwo
differentthingsusing"like"or
"as"

Example
Inthespringourpalmspeeledlikesnakes.

metaphor

animpliedcomparisonbetween
thingsessentiallyunlike

Hopeisthethingwithfeathersthatperchesinthe
soul,andsingsthetunewithoutthewords,andnever
stopsatall.

Symbol/symbolism

awordoranimagethatsignifies
somethingotherthanwhatit
represents,withmultiple
meaningsandconnotations

Alltheworldsastage,
Andallthemenandwomenmerelyplayers;
theyhavetheirexitsandtheirentrances;
Andonemaninhistimeplaysmanyparts,

alliteration

therepetitionofaspeechsound
(typicallyaconsonant)atthe
beginningofawordinasequence
ofnearbywords

Iamyourson,am,seeking
thesecurityofshadows,

Assonance

therepetitionofidenticalor
similarvowels

TheLotosbloomsbelowthebarrenpeak:
TheLotosblowsbyeverywindingcreek:
Alldaythewindbreatheslowwithmellowertone
Thro'everyhollowcaveandalleylone,
RoundandroundthespicydownstheyellowLotosdustis
blown.

consonance
repetitionofconsonants,especially
attheendofstressedsyllables

Imagery
dialect

Elementsofapoemthatcreatea
pictureorimageinthemind.It
usesthefivesense(sight,hearing,
touch,taste,andsmell)

Languageusedbythepeopleofa
specificarea,class,orgroup.It
involvesspelling,sounds,
grammar,andpronunciation

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.
I saw the flash of a white throat,
and a double row of white teeth,
and eyes of metallic grey,
hard and narrow and slit,
I wants to know why you bringing white chillun to
the negro church

MyOwnExample

Imagery

Device

Definition

Example

hyperbole

theuseofexaggerationforeffect

Hereoncetheembattledfarmersstood,
Andfiredtheshotheardroundtheworld.

personification

aninanimateobjectorconceptis
givenhumancharacteristicsor
feelings

Nothingwouldsleepinthatcellar,dankasaditch,
Bulbsbrokeoutofboxeshuntingforchinksinthe
dark,

metonymy

anobject,place,orpersonisused
torepresentsomethingwithwhich
itiscloselyassociated

allusion

apassingreferencetoaliteraryor
historicalperson,place,orevent,
ortoanotherliterarywork

As if to prove saws knew what supper meant,

Leaped out at the boy's hand, or seemed to leap
....................................
As he swung toward them holding up the hand
Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling.
Igotintoathing
withsomeone
becauseIcalledher
missann/kennedy/rockerfeller/hughes
insteadofms.

MyOwnExample

apostrophe

adirectaddresstoanabsent
personorabstractentity

Milton!thoushould'stbelivingatthishour:
Englandhathneedofthee:sheisafen
Ofstagnantwaters:altar,swordandpen,