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Poetry vocabulary and literary terms

Built for students analyzing poems in an English class, this list covers the terms teachers use to discuss structure, sound, and meaning in poetry. Keep it nearby while reading a poem closely, so you can name the devices and forms a poet is using.

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Poetry vocabulary and literary terms

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
stanzanounA group of lines forming a unit within a poem, set off from other such units, similar to a paragraph in prose.The poem's final stanza repeats the opening line to give the piece a circular structure.
versenounWriting arranged with a rhythmic structure, as in poetry, or a single numbered section of a poem or text.She memorized a verse from her favorite poem to recite at the wedding.
meternounThe base unit of length in the metric system, equal to about 3.28 feet.The community pool is exactly twenty-five meters long from end to end.
rhymenounA similarity of sound between the endings of words or lines, especially in poetry or song.The children's poem uses rhyme to make the lines easy to remember.
rhyme schemenounThe pattern of rhymes at the end of each line in a poem, often marked with letters like ABAB.The sonnet follows a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
alliterationnounThe repetition of the same initial consonant sound across nearby words in a phrase.The tongue twister 'she sells seashells' is a well-known example of alliteration.
assonancenounThe repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in poetry.The line 'the rain in Spain' uses assonance to link its long a sounds.
imagerynounDescriptive language that creates vivid mental pictures or appeals to the senses, especially in literature.The poem's imagery of crashing waves made readers feel the storm firsthand.
metaphornounA figure of speech that describes something by referring to it as if it were something else, to suggest a resemblance.Time is money is a common metaphor that compares time to a valuable resource.
similenounA figure of speech that compares two different things using the word like or as.The phrase brave as a lion is a well-known simile comparing courage to a lion's.
personificationnounA figure of speech in which human qualities or actions are given to an object, animal, or abstract idea.The line 'the wind whispered through the trees' is a classic example of personification.
symbolismnounThe use of symbols or images to represent ideas, qualities, or feelings beyond their literal meaning.The novel is full of religious symbolism, especially in its final chapter.
tonenounThe general character, quality, or attitude conveyed by something, especially the sound of a voice or a piece of writing.Her tone of voice made it clear she was joking, not being serious.
moodnounA temporary state of mind or feeling that affects how a person thinks or acts.Her mood brightened as soon as she saw the surprise waiting on the kitchen table.
refrainverbTo stop yourself from doing something, especially something you want to do.Please refrain from using your phone during tonight's performance in the theater.
coupletnounTwo consecutive lines of poetry, usually of the same length and rhyming, that express a complete thought.Shakespeare often chose to end his sonnets with a rhyming couplet.
sonnetnounA poem of fourteen lines, traditionally written in a fixed rhyme scheme and meter.Shakespeare wrote over a hundred sonnets, many exploring themes of love and time.
haikunounA traditional Japanese poem of three lines, typically with five, seven, and five syllables, often about nature.She wrote a haiku about the first snowfall of the winter.
free versenounPoetry that does not follow a regular rhyme scheme or fixed meter.Walt Whitman's free verse broke from the strict rhythms common in earlier poetry.
enjambmentnounThe continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break in poetry without a pause or punctuation.The poet used enjambment to carry the sentence's urgency straight into the next line.
onomatopoeianounThe formation of a word from a sound associated with what it names, such as buzz or hiss.Comic books often use onomatopoeia like 'bam' and 'pow' to show sound effects visually.
hyperbolenounExaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect.Saying he waited a million years for the bus was clearly hyperbole.
allusionnounAn indirect reference to a person, event, or work, without explicitly naming it.The poem makes a subtle allusion to the myth of Icarus flying too close to the sun.
balladnounA slow, sentimental song, or a narrative poem that tells a story, often about love or tragedy.The singer closed the concert with a heartfelt ballad about lost love.
odenounA poem, often formal in tone, written to praise or celebrate a person, event, or thing.The poet wrote an ode to the changing seasons of his homeland.
elegynounA poem or song that mournfully expresses sorrow, especially for someone who has died.The poet wrote an elegy for her grandmother, recalling their quiet Sunday walks together.
narratornounA person who tells or reads aloud the story or events in a book, film, or performance.The narrator's calm voice guided listeners through the documentary's tragic history.
themenounA central idea or message that a piece of writing, art, or discussion explores.Loneliness is a recurring theme throughout the author's early novels.
cadencenounA rhythmic pattern of sound, especially in speech or music, or a sequence of chords ending a musical phrase.The speaker's steady cadence made even the driest statistics easy to follow.
lyricnounThe words of a song, or a short poem that expresses personal thoughts and feelings.The songwriter spent weeks perfecting a single lyric for the chorus.

Sound devices in poetry

Poets use sound to create rhythm and emphasis. Alliteration repeats consonant sounds at the start of nearby words, assonance repeats vowel sounds, and onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds, like buzz or crash. Rhyme and rhyme-scheme describe matching end sounds and the pattern they follow across a poem.

Common poem forms

A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem with a set rhyme scheme, while a haiku is a short, three-line form built on syllable count. A ballad tells a story, often with a refrain, and an ode or elegy focuses on praise or mourning. Free-verse poems skip a fixed pattern of rhyme or meter altogether.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between rhyme scheme and meter?

Rhyme scheme is the pattern of end rhymes in a poem, while meter is the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.

What is a sonnet?

A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem, traditionally written in a fixed rhyme scheme and meter.