LITERARY DEVICES

USED IN POETRY

Definition: a group of consecutive lines in a

poem that form a single unit

STANZA

expresses a unit of thought

stanza = an Italian word for “stopping

place” or “place to rest”

A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in,

A minute to smile and an hour to weep in,

A pint of joy to peck at trouble,

And never a laugh but the moans come double;

And that is life!

STANZA BREAK (THE SPACE BETWEEN STANZAS)

A crust and a corner that makes love precious,

With a smile to warm and the tears to refresh us;

And joy seems sweeter when cares come after;

And a moan is the finest of foils for laughter;

And that is life!

STANZA EXAMPLE— “LIFE” BY

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

Stanza 1

Stanza 2

Stanza 1

expresses

one key

idea.

Stanza 2

expresses

another

key idea.

Definition: a two (2) line stanza

COUPLET

Ex) But do not so; I love thee in such sort,

As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.

~ from “Sonnet 36” by William Shakespeare

Definition: a four (4) line stanza

QUATRAIN

Ex) Let me confess that we two must be twain,

Although our undivided loves are one;

So shall these blots that do with me remain,

Without thy help, by me be borne alone.

~ from “Sonnet 36” by William Shakespeare

Definition: a six (6) line stanza

SESTET

Ex) I may not evermore acknowledge thee,

Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame;

Nor thou with public kindness honour me,

Unless thou take that honour from thy name:

But do not so; I love thee in such sort,

As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.

~ from “Sonnet 36” by William Shakespeare

Definition: an eight (8) line stanza

OCTAVE

Ex) Let me confess that we two must be twain,

Although our undivided loves are one;

So shall these blots that do with me remain,

Without thy help, by me be borne alone.

In our two loves there is but one respect,

Though in our lives a separable spite,

Which though it alter not love’s sole effect,

Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love’s delight.

~ from “Sonnet 36” by William Shakespeare

Definition: a pattern of stressed and

unstressed syllables

METER

´ for stressed

˘ for unstressed

Definition: a pattern of end rhymes in a

poem

RHYME SCHEME

To indicate the rhyme scheme of a poem, use a letter of the

alphabet for each rhyme

Ex) aabb

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower,

But only so an hour.

--Robert Frost

Definition: rhymes at the end of lines

END RHYME

Ex) If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

~ Emily Dickinson

Definition: Rhymes within a line

INTERNAL RHYME

Ex) Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,

Over man y a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore –

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door –

Only this and nothing more.”

~ Edgar Allan Poe

Definition: rhymes involving sounds that

are similar but not exactly the same

SLANT RHYME

Ex) Leave/Live or Pain/Again

Definition: a line or group of lines that is

repeated at regular intervals in a poem

REFRAIN

used to build rhythm or provide emphasis

Ex) A repeated chorus in a song.

The cat so silent Lay curled up on the rug

The fire a blaze The room so snug.

Purring, purring Quiet and still

Purring, purring Content from his fill.

Tatters the cat Big, fat cat.

He had just eaten A dinner of fish

What a treat to have Filling up his dish.

Purring, purring Quiet and still

Purring, purring Content from his fill.

REFRAIN EXAMPLE

Definition: the use of any element of language—

a sound, word, or phrase—more than once.

Example: The golden sun was

Bright

Bright

Bright

REPETITION

Definition: the voice talking to us in a poem

SPEAKER

best to think of voice as a character the poet has created

– character could be a child, a woman, a man, an animal, or an object; it is best to think of voice as a character the poet has created, not the actual poet

Definition: a comparison between two unlike things in which one is described as if it were

something else.

METAPHOR

does NOT use like or as

Ex) She has a heart of stone.

He is a bear in the morning.

My homework was a mountain waiting

to be climbed.

Definition: a comparison between two unlike things,

using a word such as like, as, than, or resembles

SIMILE

Ex) When you see me sitting quietly,

Like a sack left on the shelf,

Don’t think I need your chattering.

I’m listening to myself…

~ from “On Aging,” by Maya Angelou

Definition: The repetition of consonant

sounds at the beginning of words.

ALLITERATION

Helps establish mood, emphasize words,

and serve as a memory aid

Ex) nodded, nearly napping

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled

peppers.

Definition: the repetition of ending or internal

(inside the word) consonant sounds.

Ex. In the phrase “Black Rock” both have the

repetition of the consonant sound “ck” at the

end of the word. This is different from

alliteration, which presents this at the beginnning.

CONSONANCE

Definition: the repetition of vowel sounds in

words that are close together

ASSONANCE

Ex) Life doesn’t frighten me at all

Not at all

Not at all

Life doesn’t frighten me at all

--Maya Angelou

Definition: the use of words whose sound

imitates or suggests its meaning

ONOMATOPOEIA

Ex) Hear the sledges with the bells –

Silver bells!

What a world of merriment their melody foretells!

How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,

In the icy air of night!

While the stars that oversprinkle

All the Heavens, seem to twinkle

With a crystalline delight.

~ from “The Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe

Definition: language that appeals to the senses

IMAGERY

Ex) Taste the green in the lettuce,

Hear the crunch of its freshness,

Smell its earth perfume.

Definition: a figure of speech in which an

object or animal is spoken of as if it had

human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes.

PERSONIFICATION

Ex) The fingertips of rain

rapped and tapped

a steady beat on the windowpane.

Definition: Anything that stands for or

represents something else.

SYMBOLISM

Ex) bald eagle = United States

Star of David = Judaism

cross = Christianity

white dove = peace

Definition: an exaggeration or overstatement used

for effect

HYPERBOLE

Ex) “His smile was so wide he’d have to break it into

sections to fit it through the doorway.”

~ from Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli