Poetry terminology (copy)

Reader understands the narrator and sympathises with them

Structured. reader can gain knowledge about many characters who aren’t together. Objective view.

Activates the imagination, and the writer is more able to convey emotions and impressions

Similes create a figurative comparison, and the reader is forced to think about how those two separate objects are similar.

Personification can lend atmosphere to a setting or give lifelikeness to an object or animal that might otherwise seem dull. It also adds a deeper meaning to things that do not possess complex human attributes

They create more vivid and descriptive language. They also add an emotional element to something which has no feelings)

Reinforces the theme of the story. Underlines an idea in the story; this creates depth and emotional resonance without the need to state the theme too overtly.

It is a visual aid which allows authors to convey complex and abstract ideas in a subtle and nuanced way.

Serves to reflect the human emotions observed in the inanimate objects of nature with the emotions of the characters, the tone or mood of the setting, and/or to foreshadow or reflect plot elements

Repetition can create a rhythm or break it. Also used to emphasize a feeling or idea, create rhythm, and/or develop a sense of urgency.

They bring dramatic effect to the writing. When two contrasting words are juxtaposed, this makes us, as readers, stop and think. Oxymorons can be used to create irony, suspense, or to add comedy to a piece of literature.

Serves to develop increased interiority, letting readers see things from the protagonist's or speaker's perspective

The use of polysyndeton can slow down the rhythm of a phrase, make it more memorable, or emphasize each individual item in a list

Authors use allusions to prompt deeper understanding by relating ideas

It can help to focus the reader's attention on a particular section or phrase. It's also a clear way to signify that the alliterative words are linked together thematically

It creates an atmosphere of somberness, closeness, and sleepiness. It can also make the reader feel uneasy

It creates a sense of rhythm

Creates unity of sound and sense

They are less tiring than full rhymes and allow the writer more creative freedom

Throws the reader off balance

Used to speed up the pace of the poem or to create a sense of urgency, tension, or rising emotion as the reader is pulled from one line to the next

It keeps a feeling of natural flow and is soothing to read. Alternatively, it can make a dramatic pause to add a theatrical feel to a line.

It's used to indicate the omission of words in a text, a pause in speech, an unfinished thought, or a trailing off into silence. Ellipses can also be used to build suspense or imply something left unsaid.

Onomatopoeia gives us a distinct way to convey sounds through words. Onomatopoeic words inspire vivid imagery and help create an immersive, relatable experience for the reader

Used to appeal to the emotions of the audience in order to persuade, inspire, motivate and encourage them.

It is used to mourn, to overcome, and to discuss what happens after life. These poems tap into themes that are universally relatable. They transcend time and place.

Make the poem easy to remember and more lyrical

it represents poetry's ability to be in continuous dialogue with itself, and to take readers on a nuanced, complex journey