types of verse, meter, rhyme, poetic devices, and figurative language

subjective, reflective poetry with regular rhyme scheme and meter which reveals poet’s thoughts and feelings to create a single, unique impression

non-dramatic, objective verse with regular rhyme scheme and meter which relates a story or narrative

a rigid 14-line verse form, with variable structure and rhyme scheme according to type: Shakespearean (English) or Italian (Petrarchan)

elaborate lyric verse which deals seriously with a dignified theme

unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter

unrhymed lines without regular rhythm

a long, dignified narrative poem which gives the account of a hero important to his nation or race

a lyric poem in which the speaker addresses himself to persons around him; his speech deals with a dramatic moment in his life and manifests his character

a poem of lament, mediating on the death of an individual

simple, narrative verse which tells a story to be sung or recited; the folk ballad is anonymously handed down, while the literary ballad has a single author

lyric poetry describing the life of the shepherd in pastoral, bucolic, idealistic terms

unstress stress

stress unstress

unstress unstress stress

stress unstress unstress

stress stress

one foot

two feet

three feet

four feet

five feet

six feet

seven feet

eight feet

two lines

three lines

four lines

five lines

six lines

seven lines

eight lines

nine lines or more

a pause in the meter or rhythm of a line

a run-on line, one continuing into the text without a grammatical break

old spelling of rhyme, which is the repetition of like sounds at regular intervals, employed in Versification, the writing of verse

rhyme occurring at end of verse line; most common rhyme form

rhyme contained within a line of verse

pattern of rhymes within a unit of verse; in analysis, each end rhyme-sound is represented by a letter

rhyme in which only the last, accented syllable of the rhyming words correspond exactly in sound; most common kind of end rhyme

rhyme in which two consecutive syllables of the rhyme-words correspond, the first syllable carrying the accent; double rhyme

imperfect, approximate rhyme

repetition of two or more vowel sounds within a line

repetition of two or more consonant sounds within a line

repetition of two or more initial sounds in words within a line

the technique of using a word whose sound suggests its meaning

the use of compatible, harmonious sounds to produce pleasing, melodious effect

the use of inharmonious sounds in close conjunction for effect; opposite of euphony

a figure of speech which makes a direct comparison of two unlike objects

a direct comparison of two unlike object, using like or as

an extended metaphor comparing two unlike objects with powerful effect

a figure of speech in which objects and animals have human qualities

addressing a person or personified object no present

the substitution of a word which relates to the object or person to be named, in place of the name itself

a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole object or idea

gross exaggeration for effect; overstatement

a form of understatement in which the negative of an antonym is used to achieve emphasis and intensity

the contrast between actual meaning and the suggestion of another meaning
a) verbal- meaning one thing and saying another
b) dramatic- two levels of meaning- what the speaker says and what he means, and what the speaker says and what the author means
c) situational- when the reality of a situation differs from the anticipated or intended effect; when something unexpected occurs

the use of one object to suggest another, hidden object or idea

the use of words to represent things, actions, or ideas by sensory description

a statement which appears self-contradictory, but underlines a basis of truth

contradictory terms brought together to express a paradox for strong effect

a reference to an outside fact, event, or other source

French verse form, strictly calculated to appear simple and spontaneous; five tercets and a final quatrain, rhyming aba aba aba aba aba abaa. Lines 1, 6, 12, 18 and 3, 9, 15, 19 are refrain.

general category of poetry written to entertain, such as lyric poetry, epigrams, and limericks

Japanese verse in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables

humorous nonsense-verse in five anapestic lines rhyming aabba, a-lines being trimeter and b-lines dimeter

a foot with unstressed, stressed, unstressed syllables

an extra unaccented syllable at the beginning of a line before the regular meter begins

a foot with stressed, unstressed, stressed syllables

an extra unaccented syllable at the ending of a line after the regular meter ends