Word to use in a poem

Have you ever wondered what some of the most common words used in poetry are? Of course, some poets are known for writing about certain themes, but are there any surprising words that feature throughout? And, just how have these words changed over time? Are there any glaring differences when comparing classic poems with contemporary poems submitted through our community platform? This is what we sought to find out at My Poetic Side. We analyzed our entire database, which contains more than 35,000 poems, to discover the most common words in poetry, not only generally but in relation to some of the most famous poets as well. In the process, we created fun sliding images for 9 of the most important authors + a final general comparison.
We only applied a few stop words which were filtered out before processing data, such as “a”, “the”, “and”, “of” and “to”, that would have skewed results. Also, we gave a little boost in the algorithm to words included in titles because of their importance.

Read on to discover what we found. And make sure to place your mouse pointer over the images to reveal the authors pictures and their favorite words, or alternatively if you are on your mobile, click inside the images.

Maya Angelou

As a highly respected spokesperson for Black people and women, it is hardly surprising that one of Maya Angelou’s most used word was ‘rise’. Her poems have been called the anthems of African Americans. This is evident from words such as ‘history’, ‘pain’, ‘caged’, and ‘fear’, as well as empowering words, such as ‘stand’, ‘free’ and ‘courage’. The heavy use of ‘river’, ‘bird’, ‘sings’, and ‘sun’ can also be viewed as symbols of freedom. Her poem ‘Caged Bird’ is one of the most well known, telling the story of a free bird that leaps on the wind’s back and floats downstream. Aside from racism, discrimination and equality, other common themes included identity, struggle, music, painful loss, love and family. It is thus of little wonder that the words ‘children’, ‘work’, ‘love’, ‘men’, and ‘woman’ are frequently used in her poems.

Robert Frost

Robert Frost is highly regarded for his command of American colloquial speech and his realistic depictions of rural life. Consequently, it comes of little surprise that some of his most commonly used words relating to nature and outdoor life, including ‘tree’, ‘trees’, ‘flowers’, ‘wind’, ‘leaves’, ‘birds’, and ‘wood’. What is perhaps more curious is the element of nostalgia and reflection on the past that seems to be very prominent through the use of ‘had’, ‘back’, ‘dead’, and ‘thought’. The words ‘go’, ‘nothing’, ‘away’, and ‘death’ speak of the theme of isolation, which was common throughout a lot of Robert Frost’s poems. The two most frequently used words in Frost’s poems are ‘had’ and ‘him’, and while the former can be related to the theme of isolation, it could simply be more straightforward than this. His poems always dealt with man in relation with the universe. This is the perspective they came from, which is no doubt why those words were so prominent.

Emily Dickinson

Some of the most commonly used words in Emily Dickinson’s poems are simply indicative of the period of time she wrote in. She was born in 1830 and died in 1886, and thus the excessive use of the words ‘thee’, ‘thou’, and ‘twas’ is something that can simply be related to the times. However, other words used by her are a lot more telling in regards to her thoughts and the place she was coming from while writing. She often used images from nature and commented on the wonders of it, hence the regular use of ‘flower’, ‘sun’, ‘summer’ and ‘sky’. Her use of ‘heaven’ and ‘God’ stands out, which is not a shocker when you consider that a lot of her work was devoted to exploring the relationship between an individual and a Judeo-Christian God. ‘Death’ is another word that has been frequently used, as she often explored death and immortality. The word ‘feet’ is also prominent, which Dickinson often used as a symbol to comment on life journeys. Perhaps ‘little’ being her most commonly used word is the most intriguing.

Edgar Allan Poe

When it comes to Edgar Allan Poe, you’d expect ‘raven’ to be one of the standout words, after all this was the title and topic of one of his most famous works. In fact, animals in general were used as motifs throughout his poems. ‘Eyes’ is another word that has been used in a lot of Poe’s works. This is because he used it to symbolize the essence of human identity, which cannot be separated from the body. One common theme in Poe’s poems is love and hate, which is evident from his regular use of ‘heart’, ‘death’, ‘love’, and ‘angels’. Another prominent theme of Poe’s work is the power of the dead over the living. In his poems he keeps the power of the dead alive through memory, which is no doubt why words such as ‘dead’, ‘dream’, ‘life’, ‘angels’, ‘stars’, and ‘soul’ are used regularly.

Langston Hughes

A lot of Langston Hughes works center on The American Dream. He speaks for those suffering poverty, oppression, and prejudice, yet is hopeful that one day they will be able to pursue their dreams. This is patently obvious from the words he uses the most, i.e. ‘America’, ‘dream’, ‘white’, ‘dreams’, ‘freedom’, ‘black’, ‘slaves’, and ‘negro’. Music is also a common theme in his poems. In fact, a lot of his work has a beat or rhythm that is identifiable. They read like they are verses from a blues or jazz song. He also addresses the topic of music, which is why words such as ‘blue’, ‘dance’, and ‘song’ are used. He alludes to wisdom throughout, although he does not specifically use the word. Instead, words such as ‘ma’ and ‘boy’ illustrate this, as he often speaks of the words of the wisdom a mother gives to her son.

Sylvia Plath

Anyone who is familiar with Sylvia Plath’s work will know that death is an ever-present reality throughout. From suicide to the void left by her father’s death, there are many ways she addresses this. You can see this theme from the words she uses, for example, ‘black’, ‘him’, ‘dead’, ‘nothing’, go’, and ‘gone’. Despite this most tragic theme, she uses nature as a provoker – this is the only thing that makes Plath not give up. Thus, although a lot of Plath’s poems are dark, there are a lot of words that we’d immediately associate with positivity, such as ‘orange’, ‘sun’, ‘sky’, ‘great’, and ‘sweet’. A lot of this stems from her allusions to nature. She also regularly discussed patriarchy, as she lived in a time when there were very strict gender norms. Words such as ‘him’, ‘men’, ‘nothing’ and ‘fat’ allude to this, with the latter no doubt used because she often revealed her disappointment with pregnancy.

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman often discussed democracy in his works, pondering whether it could thrive as a political system and if the US could survive as a country. This is where words such as ‘America’, ‘new’, ‘states’, ‘cities’, and ‘strong’ come from. The human body is a motif throughout his works, where he depicts the human body and its capacity for physical contact. This is where words such as ‘face’, ‘eyes’, ‘hand’, and ‘body’ come from. ‘War’ is also a word that is used throughout, as Whitman spoke about the Civil War, using it to discuss the cycle of growth and death. He often focuses on the life cycles of individuals, which is why common words in his poems include ‘life’, ‘new’, ‘dead’, ‘young’, and ‘little’. And, finally, some words such as ‘shall’, ‘thou’ and and ‘thy’ simply stem from the period in time in which he wrote, as Whitman was born in 1819 and died in 1892.

William Blake

William Blake believed that balance was achieved through opposition, which is why there are a lot of opposite words used throughout his work – both ‘life’ and ‘death’, ‘morning’ and ‘night’, ‘light’ and ‘dark’ are used in large amounts. Religion was a common theme throughout Blake’s work, although it is somewhat unclear regarding where Blake stood in terms of his religion. Some people believe he was agnostic, others think he was an atheist. Either way, there is no denying this was something he addressed, with words such as ‘Jesus’, ‘heavens’, ‘heaven’, and ‘God’. One word that stands out from the most regularly used is ‘Urizen’, which is a word that was invented as part of his complex mythology, representing the embodiment of law and conventional reason.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s poems, or should we say sonnets, often explored the dangers of lust and love. He explored the painful physical and emotional consequences that could come from it, which is why we see a regular use of ‘desire’, ‘lust’, ‘beauty’, ‘kiss’, ‘Adonis’, and, of course, one of his most regularly used words – ‘love’. You will also notice the frequent use of ‘flower’, which is no doubt because he used flowers as a symbol of beauty, the aging process, the transience of life, and the passage of time. Other notable words include ‘spring’, ‘wind’, and ‘sun’. This is because Shakespeare often used the seasons and the weather to stand for human emotions. Beauty was explored in depth, including the responsibilities of being beautiful and real beauty vs. clichéd beauty, which is why words such as ‘beauty’, ‘looks’, ‘fair’, and ‘face’ are often used.

Classic poems VS. Contemporary poems

Finally, we have compared classic poems with contemporary poems submitted by our own users here at My Poetic Side’s community, to see whether there are any similarities and stark differences as time has passed. Comparing thousands of poems, one thing that has become common is that the use of the following words has never faded – ‘never’ and ‘had’, revealing that we often refer to things we cannot attain or have lost. ‘Eyes’ is another word used in poems from both periods, as poets often talk through what they see. However, while ‘beauty’ seems to be a theme of classic poems, it seems to have been replaced with ‘love’. ‘Mine’ is a word frequently used in classic poems while this seems to have been replaced with ‘want’ in more regular works, signifying our change from discussing what’s ours to what we desire. Perhaps we’ve moved to a period of never being satisfied?

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Without a vocabulary better than an 6 grader poems tend to be boring and boring poems don’t get read. I love to read poetry in general and I read a lot of poetry and have come across some very boring unimaginative poetry with only the most basic words.

Then on the other side you get poems with so many high English words that one have to use a dictionary on every second word and most people just end up skipping these poems as they are hard to understand. If you don’t grasp the underlying meaning of a poem and take nothing from it you loose interest. It is like trying to read in a different language.

It can take hours to find the right word to use in your poem that makes it interesting without making it impossible to read and enjoy. I have found some great websites and programs that can help with this problem. First problem is in finding these sites and programs if you are new to writing just as many of us has been at one stage. I will give the links to some of these on the bottom of my blog page.

The next problem you can find when you have decided to spruce up your poem with some new words you are not use to using, is using them in the right context, and this can and has happened to many poets/poetess in the beginning of their learning curve. I should know as I’m one of them and sometimes it can still happen to even some poets one can find these day on the world wide web.

The only way to fix this is by trail and error and of course the help of other poets. I have found that the poetry community can be just as closely knit together as some of them can be harsh to the newer poets trying to find their way.

I have a love to look for new words all the time when writing poetry words I don’t know or have not thought of using. I have decided to make a list in the hope of inspiring some poets.

Ambivalent
Having ”mixed feelings about someone or something

Ambrosian
Anything particularly delightful to taste or smell

Amorist
A person who is devoted to love and lovemaking or write about love

Amorphous
Lacking definite form; having no specific shape; formless

Amort
Spiritless; lifeless.

Anathemise
Wish harm upon; invoke evil upon

Aphonic
Mouthed but not spoken; noiseless; silent

Appendence
Attached or suspended; annexed.

Aquiline
(Of the nose) shaped like an eagle’s beak; hooked.

Aquiver
In a state of trepidation or vibrant agitation; trembling

Arcane
Known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure;

Archaic
Commonly used in an earlier time but rare in present-day usage except to suggest the older time,

Ariose
Characterized by melody; songlike.

Asunder
Apart or widely separated: as wide asunder as the polar regions.

Athirst
Having a keen desire; eager (often followed by for  ): She has long been athirst for European travel.

Aureate
Golden, gilded, brilliant or splendid.

Auric
Of or containing gold in the trivalent state.

Aurify
To cause to appear golden; gild: Dawn came, and sunlight aurified the lead-grey ocean.

Balmily
Mild and refreshing; soft; soothing: balmy weather.

Beau geste
A fine or noble gesture, often futile or only for effect.

Bedraggle
To make limp and soiled, as with rain or dirt.

Beldam
An old woman, especially an ugly one; hag.

Beleaguer
To surround or beset, as with troubles.

Belesprit
A person of great wit or intellect.

Beshrew
To curse; invoke evil upon.

Blithely
Joyous or merry in disposition; glad; cheerful: Everyone loved her for her blithe spirit.

Burdly
Bold; audacious; defiant.

Calix
A cup; chalice

Canorous
Melodious; musical.

Capacious
Capable of holding much; spacious or roomy: a capacious storage bin.

Caterwaul
To utter long wailing cries, howl or screech.

Chimera
A horrible or unreal creature of the imagination;

Clangor
A loud, resonant sound; clang.

Collocate
To set or place together, especially side by side.

Corpulent
Large or bulky of body; portly; stout; fat.

Crestfallen
Dejected; dispirited; discouraged.

Deluge
Anything that overwhelms like a flood: a deluge of mail.

Denigrate
To speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone’s character.

Derisory
Characterized by or expressing derision; contemptuous; mocking: derisive heckling.

Desultory
Lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.

Diaphanous
Very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent.

Disconsolate
Without consolation or solace; hopelessly unhappy; inconsolable: Loss of her pet dog made her disconsolate.

Dulcet
Pleasant to the ear; melodious: pleasant or agreeable to the eye or the

feelings; soothing.:sweet to the taste or smell.

Effusive
unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve: effusive greetings; an effusive person.

Egregious
Extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant: an egregious mistake;

an egregious liar.

Elysian
Blissful; delightful.

Empyreal
Pertaining to the sky; celestial: empyreal blue.Formed of pure fire or light: empyreal radiance.

Ephemeral
Lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory: the ephemeral joys of childhood.

Epoch
A particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc the treaty ushered in an epoch of peace and good will.

Esoteric
Belonging to the select few. Private; secret; confidential.

Ethereal
Extremely delicate or refined:

Eviscerate
To deprive of vital or essential parts: The censors eviscerated the book to make it inoffensive to the leaders of the party.

Facile
Moving, acting, working, proceeding, etc., with ease, sometimes with superficiality: facile fingers; a facile mind.

Fastidious
Excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please: a fastidious eater.

Fatuous
Foolish or inane, especially in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly. unreal; illusory.

Frivolous
Characterized by lack of seriousness or sense: frivolous conduct.

Gamboled
To skip about, as in dancing or playing; frolic.

Garrulous
Excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters.

Gaunt
Bleak, desolate, or grim, as places or things:

Gossamer
Something extremely light, flimsy, or delicate.

Grody
Inferior in character or quality; seedy; sleazy:

Impalbale
Not palpable; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch; intangible.

Intricate
complex; complicated; hard to understand, work, or make: an intricate machine.

Inveigle
To entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements

(usually followed by into  ): to inveigle a person into playing bridge.

Jaunt
A short journey, especially one taken for pleasure.

Kismet
Fate; destiny.

Knavish
Like or befitting a knave; untrustworthy; dishonest.

Languid
Lacking in vigor or vitality; slack or slow: a languid manner.

Lecherous
Given to or characterized by lechery; lustful.

Loquacious
Talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering;

babbling; garrulous: a loquacious dinner guest.

Lurched
An awkward, swaying or staggering motion or gait.

Machination
Usually, machinations. Crafty schemes; plots; intrigues.

Maunder
To move, go, or act in an aimless, confused manner: He maundered through life without a single ambition.

Motley
Being of different colors combined: a motley flower border.

Nebulous
Cloudy or cloudlike.

Nexus
A means of connection; tie; link.

Niche
A place or position suitable or appropriate for a person or thing: to find one’s niche in the business world.

Ogle
To look at amorously, flirtatiously, or impertinently. To eye; look or stare at.

Panacea
A remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all.

Pellucid
Allowing the maximum passage of light, as glass; translucent.

Penchant
A strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports.

Placate
To appease or pacify, especially by concessions or conciliatory gestures: to placate an outraged citizenry.

Puerile
Of or pertaining to a child or to childhood. Childishly foolish; immature or trivial: a puerile piece of writing.

Puissance
Power, might, or force.

Pyre
Such a pile for burning a dead body, especially as part of a funeral rite, as in India.

Quiddity
The quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing.

Quintessence
The most perfect embodiment of something.

Quixotic
Extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.

Rakish
Smart; jaunty; dashing: a hat worn at a rakish angle.

Rancor
Bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice.

Ratified
To confirm by expressing consent, approval, or formal sanction: to ratify a constitutional amendment.

Resile
To spring back; rebound; resume the original form or position, as an elastic body. Shrink back; recoil.

Roquish
Pertaining to, characteristic of, or acting like a rogue; knavish or rascally

Sapidity
Agreeable, as to the mind; to one’s liking.

Semblance
An assumed or unreal appearance; show. The slightest appearance or trace.

Seraphic
Blissfully serene; rapt

Slipshod
Careless, untidy, or slovenly: slipshod work.

Sojourn
To stay for a time in a place; live temporarily: to sojourn on the Riviera for two months.

Squalor
The condition of being squalid; filth and misery.

Susurrus
A soft murmuring or rustling sound; whisper.

Svelte
Slender, especially gracefully slender in figure; lithe.

Sylphlike
A slender, graceful woman or girl. One of a race of supernatural beings supposed to inhabit the air.

Throe
A sharp attack of emotion. Any violent convulsion or struggle: the throes of battle.

Tumult
Violent and noisy commotion or disturbance of a crowd or mob; uproar: The tumult reached its height during the premier’s speech.

Ululation
To howl, as a dog or a wolf; hoot, as an owl. To utter howling sounds, as in shrill, wordless lamentation; wail.

Virtuosic
A person who has special knowledge or skill in a field.

Vivacious
Full of high spirits and animation; lively or vital

Wispy
Wisplike; delicate, faint, light, etc

Zaftig
(Of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure.

Virile
Having or exhibiting masculine energy, forcefulness, or strength in a marked degree.

Some of the words shown here have more than one meaning, I did not add all of them so it is worth while taking a closer look at them. I also added how they are used sometimes to give you a better idea. There are many more ways in using them and sometimes you have to make sure that you are using them in the right context. I have many more words but don’t want to make the list too long.

Here are a few links to useful sites that can help with writing poetry:

Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/
Here you can find almost any word, the correct spelling and even a sound file to help you pronounce the word correctly. It also tends to show you how the word is used in a sentence.

It even shows you what where the stressed and unstressed syllables is by using bold letters to show the stressed syllables that can be very useful in writing in meter. The last thing that make this site useful is that they show you the syllables of the words, again useful when writing in meter.

Thesuarus.com
http://thesaurus.com/
This site gives you all the Definition, Synonyms, Antonyms to your hearts content which is also wonderful in the use of poetry. You can easily find another word with the same meaning for a poem if you feel the word you are using is rather boring. I love this one!

RhymeZone
http://www.rhymezone.com/?loc=bar
Another great site that helps in finding rhyming words with different number of syllables groups.

Wordweb
If you find your self without the Internet while writing this little program is very useful. The only thing I find very lacking is the fact that it does not show the stressed and unstressed syllables.
You can download it here.
http://wordweb.en.softonic.com/

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Use the words (A−D) from Ex.2a to complete the gaps (1−4) in the poem. Listen and check.

This is my second post on this interesting topic about UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYSING POETRY @ High School. Please read the first post here:

Essential Words To Use When Understanding And Analysing Poetry – 1

Most words convey several meanings or shades of meaning at the same time. It is the poet’s job to find words which, when used in relation to other words in the poem, will carry the precise intention of thought.

POETIC TERMS AND DEVICES

BELOW IS A LIST OF POETIC TERMS that can help you interpret, critique, and respond to a variety of different works of poetry. This list is by no means comprehensive, but instead, offers a primer to the language frequently used by students when tackling and analyzing a poem. This list and the terms included in it can help you begin to identify central concerns or elements in a poetry that might help facilitate your interpretation, argumentation and analysis

Often, some of the more significant words may carry several layers or “depths” of meaning at once. The ways in which the meanings of words are used can be identified.

ALLEGORY: It is a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning. Sometimes it can be a single word or phrase, such as the name of a character or place. Often, it is a symbolic narrative that has not only a literal meaning, but a larger one understood only after reading the entire story or poem.

ALLUSION: This is a brief reference to some person, historical event, work of art, or Biblical or mythological situation or character.

Ambiguity: It is a word or phrase that can mean more than one thing, even in its context. Poets often search out such words to add richness to their work. Often, one meaning seems quite readily apparent, but other, deeper and darker meanings, await those who contemplate the poem.

ANALOGY: It is a  comparison, usually something unfamiliar with something familiar.

APOSTROPHE: This is speaking directly to a real or imagined listener or inanimate object; addressing that person or thing by name. Example: O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done…

CLICHE: It is any figure of speech that was once clever and original but through overuse has become outdated. If you’ve heard more than two or three other people say it more than two or three times, chances are the phrase is too timeworn to be useful in your writing, eg: busy as a bee.

CONNOTATION: This is the emotional, psychological or social overtones of a word; its implications and associations apart from its literal meaning. Often, this is what distinguishes the precisely correct word from one that is merely acceptable.

CONTRAST: It is closely arranged things with strikingly different characteristics, eg: He was dark, sinister, and cruel; she was radiant, pleasant, and kind.

DENOTATION: This is the dictionary definition of a word; its literal meaning apart from any associations or connotations.

Students must exercise caution when beginning to use a THESAURUS, since often the words that are clustered together may share a denotative meaning, but not a connotative one, and the substitution of a word can sometimes destroy the mood, and even the meaning, of a poem.

EUPHEMISM: It is an understatement, used to lessen the effect of a statement; substituting something innocuous for something that might be offensive or hurtful, eg: She is at rest. (meaning, she’s dead)

HYPERBOLE: It is an outrageous exaggeration used for effect, eg: He weighs a ton.

IRONY: This is a contradictory statement or situation to reveal a reality different from what appears to be true. The three types of irony commonly used are: verbal irony; situational irony and dramatic irony.

METONYMY: This is a figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing is referred to by something closely associated with it, eg: The White House stated today that . . .

OXYMORON: It is a combination of two words that appear to contradict each other, eg: a pointless point of view; bittersweet.

PARADOX: This is a statement in which a seeming contradiction may reveal an unexpected truth. Example: The hurrier I go the behinder I get.

PUN: A word play in which words with totally different meanings have similar or identical sounds, eg: Like a firefly in the rain, I’m de-lighted.

LITOTES: It is a double negative is used for poetic effect, eg: not unlike, not displeased.

SYNECDOCHE: It indicates a person, object, etc. by letting only a certain part represent the whole, eg: All hands on deck.

REFRAIN: A line or lines repeated at intervals during a poem, usually at the end of each stanza. A refrain serves to establish meter and tone, but it often gives a hint about the poem’s message. A song’s refrain may be called the chorus.

EUPHONY: A series of musically pleasant sounds, conveying a sense of harmony and beauty to the language.

ANTITHESIS:  It is an opposition, or contrast, of ideas. Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

STANZA: A division of poetry named for the number of lines it contains, eg: couplet: two line stanza; triplet: three line stanza, etc, Some people call it a VERSE.

OVERSTATEMENT (or hyperbole): An extreme exaggeration used for effect; ie: I’ve told you a hundred times…; I’m starving; The suspense is killing me.

UNDERSTATEMENT:  It means saying less than what is meant, for effect. It is the opposite of an EMBELLISHMENT.

SPEAKER: This is the PERSONA the poet takes on; like the narrator in the story, the writer takes on a character to present the words on the page.

CONCEIT:  It is a fanciful and elaborate figure of speech that makes a surprising connection between two seemingly dissimilar things, eg: John Donne’s comparison of separated lovers to the legs of a compass.

ANAPHORA: It is the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences.

HYPOPHORA: It is a figure of speech in which the speaker both asks a question and immediately answers it.

CHIASMUS: The reversal of, or reversal of the order of, certain words, concepts, sounds or syntactic structures, eg: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” (JFK, 1961 Inaugural address)

APHORISM: It is a concise, pointed, epigrammatic statement that reveals a truth or principle, eg: A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare).

VERSE: It is a metric line of poetry; any division or grouping of words in a poetic composition, where others referred to as a STANZA.

SATIRE: It is a form of sarcasm, irony or wit used to expose abuses or follies, ridicule.

VOLTA: It is an Italian word for “turn.” In a sonnet, the volta is the turn of thought or argument: in Petrarchan or Italian sonnets it occurs between the octave and the sestet, and in Shakespearean or English before the final couplet.

ESSENTIALLY, when analyzing a poem and then carrying out an answer to a question, you will have been tackling three key issues:

• What purpose does this poetic/literary device serve?
• How does the poet communicate his or her purpose through this device?
• Why do readers have this response to the poetic device?

This is a skill you need to harness at High School. It is not easy but with practice you will get the hang of it. To do so, I have one important posts I have done to help you achieve a top grade in English Literature essays. YOU can access it here:

• Hints On Writing A Good To Excellent Essay In English@HighSchool

With a lot of practice, you will see yourself improving.

Good luck in all your endeavours.

As of old: Be EMPOWERED and EXCEL!

Writing poetry is not an easy task. When a poet writes poetry, he does not only rely on his emotions but also deals with the language in which he writes it. English literature along with language has been developed a lot for the last 100 years as many major changes have been witnessed in it. A poet uses many literary devices while writing poetry; instead it is not wrong to say that every writer (a novelist, dramatist or poet) has to rely upon poetic and literary devices to include some examples in his work; therefore, with the development in literature and English language, some improvements were also made in them with the passage of time. As a result, some new poetic devices were introduced, literary devices were improved and writers started using them with examples in their literary works.

Here are some examples of literary poetic devices that are common in every writer’s work:

• Alliteration
• Allusion
• Ambiguity
• Analogy
• Assonance
• Cacophony
• Connotation
• Consonance
• Contrast
• Euphony
• Hyperbole
• Imagery
• Irony
• Onomatopoeia
• Oxymoron
• Paradox
• Personification
• Pun
• Rhyme
• Simile
• Metaphor
• Symbolism

Alliteration

Alliteration basically is a technique of repeating the initial letter of each word. A poet uses alliteration to add a specific type of rhyming scheme in his poem; however, sometimes, it becomes very difficult for the readers to read such types of words as it causes obstruction in fluency. Some examples of alliteration are:-
Tom takes tea to transform his fat into metabolism.
Bob bought the best constructed buildings before business meetings.
In above said examples, the repetition of initial words (T in first examples whereas B in second example) are examples of one of the major poetic and literary devices called alliterations.

Allusion

Sometimes a poet needs to refer to something but he cannot do it directly; therefore, he does not straightly say it and uses a hint for this purpose, which in literature we call allusion. Mostly, the poet or writer uses it for historical events or figures. For instance, John Milton in Paradise Lost uses a lot of allusions such as:
Jesus Christ, Adam and Eve, Homer, Hercules etc.
Let’s elaborate further. Poets often use a famous phrase “Achelias’ heel” to describe someone’s weakness. It is an allusion. In Greek mythology, Achelias was a brave warrior and no one could kill him; however, he died because an arrow hit his heel, hence, his heel has been considered his weakness; therefore, many poets use it in their work, which is one of the best examples of major poetic and literary devices allusions.

Ambiguity

Ambiguity in actual meanings is not a poetic device. Rarely, a poet creates it deliberately. Mostly, it is caused because of the unclear meaning of a word in a poem or any literary work. Poetry is dependent on words and words are just symbols to present an idea or a thought; therefore, a word has more than one meaning. If a word has more than one meaning then it creates ambiguity in the poems.

Analogy

A poet uses analogy in his poems to create an abstract imagination in his readers’ mind. It is a connection between familiar and unfamiliar things. For instance, Shakespear writes:-
“As cold waters to a thirsty soul,
So is good news from a far country.”
In the above said example, “as cold waters to a thirsty soul” is an analogy that the poet uses to create imagery of familiar and unfamiliar things in the minds of his readers.

Assonance

In order to create rhyming, poets repeat vowel sounds in words. It should be remembered that no constant is used for this purpose. Some examples of literary and poetic devices assonances are:
Do good, have good.
The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.

The main difference between assonance and alliteration is that assonance can occur anywhere in the world whereas it is necessary for the alliteration to be used at the start of each word.

Cacophony

Cacophony is one of those literary and poetic devices that creates confusing sounds in a poem examples of which are available from “Gulliver Travels”. Mostly, the poets and writers use one of these poetic and literary devices to create a destructive atmosphere, examples of which are:-

“and being no stranger to the art of war, I gave him a description of cannons, culverins, muskets, carabines, pistols, bullets, powder, swords, bayonets, battles, sieges, retreats, attacks, undermines, countermines, bombardments, sea-fights… from Gulliver Travels The author’s use of words beginning with sharp consonants contribute to the overall tone that war is destructive.”

Gulliver Travels

It is a clean example of the use of cacophony.

Connotation

Every word being a symbol has more than one meaning; therefore, the meaning of a word that is beyond its literal meaning is called connotation. There are two types of connotations: negative and positive. A poet uses connotation to create mood, emotion and feelings in his poetry. Some good examples of connotation are:
He is such a dove does not mean that he actually is a dove. Beyond literary meanings if we talk then it means that he has a pure heart.

Consonance

Consonance is the repetition of consonant alphabets in a poem, hence, it is opposite to assonance. Good examples of literary and poetic devices consonances are available from “Arms and the Boy by Wilfred Owen”:
“Let the boy try along this bayonet blade
How cold steel is, and keen with hunger of blood;
Blue with all malice, like a madman’s flash;
And thinly drawn with famishing for flesh.”

The continuous repetition of “b” sound in the above said stanza is a clear example of consonance.

Contrast

To make a comparison between two different things or to give examples, a poet uses one of the major poetic and literary devices called contrasts. Two or more than two things who are entirely opposite to each other make contrast in a poem or any other literary work. A powerful example of contrast has been drawn from Shakespeare’s sonnet. He writes:

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

In the above said stanza, the sun, coral, snow, and wire are good examples of contrast.

Euphony

The poets and writers use euphony to create pleasing sounds in their literary works; therefore, it is entirely contradictory to cacophony. Euphony is pleasing and harmonious whereas on the other hand cacophony is harsh and discordant. He passed away, instead of he died, is the best example of euphony.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration of something, especially feelings and emotions is called hyperbole. William Butler Yeats in his poetry often uses these poetic and literary devices, examples of which are:

The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Some other examples of hyperbole are:
You’re as light as a feather.
I slept like a rock last night.

Imagery

Imagery is the most used poetic device in poems. Use of words that appeal to the imaginative senses is called imagery. Every poet more or less uses imagery in his poems. John Keats is the best romantic poet who uses imagery in his poems, an example of which is:

He knew whose gentle hand was at the latch,
Before the door had given her to his eyes;
And from her chamber-window he would catch
Her beauty farther than the falcon spies;
And constant as her vespers would he watch,
Because her face was turn’d to the same skies;
And with sick longing all the night outwear,
To hear her morning-step upon the stair. (Keats 3.17-24)

Descriptions of natural images in this poem are examples of imagery.

Irony

A poet uses ironies as literary and poetic devices in his literary work to give examples of something opposite to literal meanings. There are certain types of ironies; irony of situation, dramatic irony and verbal irony. For instance, Jane Austen starts her novel “Pride and Prejudice” with the following statement:-

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

However, soon we realize that women want husbands and not the vice versa.

Onomatopoeia

Poets use onomatopoeia to enhance the imagination of their readers. They want to show a world that they see exactly to their readers through words; therefore, they use onomatopoeia. For instance:

The cows go moo
the ghost says boo
beez goes buzz
pepsi goes fizz

In above said examples, moo, boo, buzz, fizz create pleasing sounds that exactly readers can imagine, which we call the use of onomatopoeia.

Oxymoron

Usage of contradictory words in a poem is called oxymoron. It is one of the most uses poetic and literary devices, examples of which are taken from Milton’s book “Paradise Lost” where he uses two words “darkness visible”, which are entirely contradictory to each other.

Paradox

Paradox is a combination of words that apparently does not make any sense but in reality it contains sensible meanings. For example:
This is the beginning of the end.
Deep down, you’re really shallow.
I’m a compulsive liar.

Personification

Sometimes a poet gives human attributes to a non living being which we call personification. For example:
Clouds dance in the sky.
Death walked towards me.

In the above said example dancing and walking are human attributes, which are assigned to non human beings, hence, it is called personification.

Pun

When a poet plays with the words and uses words with identical sounds then we call it pun. See the following sentence:-

I saw a saw which could not saw.

In the above said examples “saw” means to watch/to see, it also means the tool “saw” and thirdly it also means to cut.

Rhyme

Rhyme is one of those literary poetic devices that almost every poet uses in his poems not give examples but to provide rhythm to his poem. It is the repetition of syllables at the end of verse. For example in a poison tree,

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Friend, end, foe, grow are rhyming words, which best describe rhyme in poems.

Simile

Comparing an object with the other one is called simile. The poet uses words “like” and “as” for these purposes. For instance, as brave as a lion, clear like crystal etc.

Metaphor somewhat is similar to simile; however in metaphor a poet gives all the attributes of an object to the other one. For example, he is a lion; meaning thereby that is brave like a lion. He is a dove, which means that he is innocent etc.

Symbolism

Words are symbols and use of words to present ideas is called the technique of symbolism. It also suggests something about its literal meanings. For instance, the sea is used as a symbol of vastness, and an ambulance is a symbol of death etc.

Beginning from the 5th century, the lingua franca– English Language has undergone many changes. The history of English has seen continuous modifications and alterations owing to the multiple cultures and various people who influenced it. Among these changes, many literary terms and grammatical concepts were introduced to ease communication and form various compositions. Poems are one of the forms of expressions that use different “Poetic Devices” to create a narrative, to deliver a message, or exhibit emotions, feelings in a rhythmic and aesthetic form. In this blog, we will see the various forms of 50+ poetic devices in English Literature with examples and meanings!

Poems are defined as “the clarification and magnification of being” – Hirshfield (1997)

What are Poetic Devices?

Poetic devices can be simply referred to as a form of literary devices which are used in poetry. They are used as different elements in a poem just like above in verbal, visual, structural, rhythmic, metrical, grammatical elements, and so on. These poetic devices are tools used by poets to augment the meaning of a poem, make it rhythmic pleasing, or intensify the core emotion, mood, or feeling represented in the poem.

Commonly Used Poetic Devices

Here are the most commonly used and interesting poetic devices in English literature you must know about:

There are different types of Poetic Devices which can be incorporated in a poem to make it more meaningful and filled with imagery. The major forms of poetic devices are based on:

• To add sounds of words
• To enhance the meaning of words
• To arrange the words in a certain order or sequence
• To create imagery through words

Now, let’s take a look at the list of 50 poetic devices of each of these purposes:

English Poetic Devices Used to Create Rhythm/Sound

1. Onomatopoeia: In simple words, onomatopoeia can be termed as the creation of a word describing its sound. Some of the popular examples of words sounding similar to their meanings are roar, clap, moo, etc. It is one of the popular poetic devices used in children rhymes to give them a rhythmic and easy to remember structure similar to a jingle.

Examples: Splash, Murmur, Bang, Fwoosh, Buzz

2. Alliteration: One of the most used poetic devices, Alliteration is a phonetic structure and repeated usage of sound or letter used in the first syllable of a word. It is considered as the oldest poetic tool that is generally used for two or more words in a poem. Most of the poets take alliteration into account while framing a particular poem as it adds charm and effectiveness. Sometimes, alliteration perfectly fits in tongue twisters. 

Examples: “She sells seashells by the sea-shore.”

3. Rhyme: Being the most important poetic devices, these are widely used while framing poems. They play a decisive role in adding more charm and mood in the poem. It is a tool that brings music to the poem in a proper rhythmic structure.

Examples: Night-Bright, Skin-Grin, Frog-Log

4. Assonance: In a literary landscape, when two or more words that are close to each other repeats the same vowel sounds then such English poetic devices are known as Assonance. However, they commence with different consonant sounds.

Examples: “The crumbling thunder of seas” (Robert Louis Stevenson); “Strips of tinfoil winking like people” (Sylvia Plath)

5. Consonance: Falling under the list of poetic devices, Consonance is used in both prose and poetry. It can be understood as the repetition of sounds that are produced by the consonants in a phrase or a sentence. It is quite contrary to assonance’s repetition of vowel sounds. Sometimes, the usage of this word gives a rhythmic mood in a writeup.

Examples: Toss the glass, boss; Dawn goes down; Don’t creep and beep while grandpa falls asleep

6. Euphony: Euphony is the repetitive use of mellow, melodic tones that are enjoyable to read or listen to. Soft consonant sounds like m, n, w, r, and f as well as consonants that vibrate, such s, sh, and th, are used to create this.

Examples: “So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” (Shakespeare)

7. Repetition: In order to put extreme emphasis on our writing style, we use the repetition technique. Through such poetic devices in English, the words or phrases are repeated in sentences. It is used in poetry as well as the prose sections.

Examples: Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
“The woods are lovely dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”

8. Cacophony: Cacophony is the use of unappealing, repulsive, or harsh noises (mostly consonants) to evoke chaos, disorder, or dread.

Examples: “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! The frumious Bandersnatch!” (Lewis Carroll)

9. Rhythm: The flow of words throughout each meter and stanza creates rhythm and highlights particular elements of the poem.

Examples: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (Shakespeare)

10. Allusion: By this term, we can understand it is a phrase or a word that is meant to call something without mentioning it clearly. Allusion, which is yet another popularly used poetic device in English, is an ambiguous statement or phrase that leaves a reader in oblivion. 

Examples: Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay. (Robert Frost)

English Poetic Devices Used to Change the Meaning of Words

1. Irony: In the literary landscape, words are often framed in such a way that their original meaning gets changed. As a popular English poetic device, it is actually a figure of speech that helps us understand the difference between reality and appearance.

Examples: Stevie Smith’s Not Waving But Drowning
“Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.”

12. Allegory: An allegory is a narrative or description in which certain abstractions or concepts are represented by certain events, behaviours, characters, locations, or objects.

Examples: The Tortoise and the Hare – Aesop’s Fables

13. Euphemism: Euphemism is the act of replacing a term that can offend or imply something unpleasant with one that is less hurtful or pleasing. These kind of phrases are known as euphemisms. In writing or speaking, euphemisms are frequently employed in place of harsher or more direct language.

Examples: “If I pass during some nocturnal blackness, mothy and warm,
When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn,
One may say, “He strove that such innocent creatures should come to no harm,
But he could do little for them; and now he is gone. – Thomas Hardy

14. Ambiguity: Ambiguity happens when a statement’s structure or substance leaves room for alternative interpretations and obscures its intended meaning.

Examples: “O Rose thou art sick.
The invisible worm,
That flies in the night
In the howling storm: Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy;
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy” (William Blake’s The Rose)

1. Personification: Amongst all the poetic devices, personification is a simple one to understand. As the name suggests, you need to personify inanimate objects or plants or animals or any other living beings with human qualities thus transforming your poetry into lively and filled with imagery and description.

Example:She sweeps with many-colored brooms,
And leaves the shreds behind;
Oh, housewife in the evening west,
Come back, and dust the pond! (Emily Dickinson)

16. Analogy: An analogy is a literary device that establishes a relationship between two concepts based on similarities or connections. Establishing this connection makes the new topic simpler to understand by introducing it through a relatable contrast.

Example: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called” (William Shakespeare)

17. Denotation: The denotation of a term refers to its neutral, objective meaning. No matter the language or aspect of speech, every word that has a definition in a dictionary also has a denotation.

Example: “When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” (William Wordsworth)

18. Cliche: A scenario or term that is overused to the extent that it is deemed unoriginal is referred to as a cliché (klee-SHAY). Any element of a literary story, including a specific phrase, scene, genre, or character, might be considered a cliché. The word carries a bad reputation since sloppy writing is frequently connected with clichés.

Example: A heart full of sorrow

19. Connotation: Connotation is the use of a word to imply an unique association from its denotative, or literal, meaning.

Example: “She’s all states, and all princes, I” (John Donne)

20. Contrast: A writer will often use contrast as a rhetorical tactic to highlight the contrasts between two persons, places, or objects. The simplest definition of contrast is the antithesis of two things, highlighting and clarifying their differences.

Example: “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.” (William Shakespeare)

21. Apostrophe: It addresses the subject that is not present in the work. In this case, the object is absent or inanimate. Here are some of the examples of apostrophes. 

Example: “Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains, call on
us?” (John Donne)

22. Metaphor: As a figure of speech is a poetic device, a metaphor is used in order to draw a comparison between unrelated things in an implicit or hidden way. Or, this is used when a poet tries to resemble two opposite things or objects on the basis of some common characteristics. 

Example: “An elephant, a ponderous house
A melon strolling on two tendrils.” (Sylvia Plath)

23. Pun: Puns are among the most frequently used figures of speech in daily conversation. They may be great conversation starters since they make you sound clever and occasionally even humorous.

Example: “Apocalypse soon
Coming our way
Ground zero at noon
Halve a nice day.” (Edmund Conti)

24. Hyperbole: A hyperbole is a figure of speech that consists of an exaggeration. It is the usage of exaggerated terms in order to emphasise or heighten the effect of something. 

Example: “And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:” (Robert Burns)

25. Simile: A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things that are different from each other but have similar qualities. These are generally formed through the usage of the words ‘as’ or ‘like’.

Example: “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.” (Shakespeare)

26. Metonymy: Metonymy is a figure of speech when one term or phrase is used in place of another with which it is closely related. It is also a rhetorical technique used to describe something indirectly by making references to objects around. 

Example: “O, for a draught of vintage!” (John Keats) [Here Vintage is a metonymy for Wine]

27. Oxymoron: This figure of speech, which should not be confused with ironies and paradoxes, links two opposing ideas at once. This indicates that two opposing concepts are utilised inside a single sentence to create levity in an oxymoron figure of speech.

Example: “Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
This love feel I, that feel no love in this.” (Shakespeare)

28. Paradox: These figures of speech, like ironies, emphasise something by discussing the exact opposite of it. A paradox, on the other hand, differs from an irony in that it does not make the contrast as evident. 

Example: “To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up.” (Oscar Wilde)

29. Synecdoche: Synecdoche is defined in English as a literary device where a term for a minor aspect of anything may be used to represent the main idea or vice versa. The likelihood is that you frequently employ synecdoche in your daily life, despite the fact that it may seem perplexing.

Example: “‘Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,
A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark
Is by a forged process of my death
Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father’s life
Now wears his crown.” (Shakespeare)

30. Symbolism: Poets employ symbolism to communicate underlying ideas. There are several levels of meaning associated with symbols, including places, things, and actions. The literal meaning of the poem is deepened by symbolism.

Example: I am of one element,
Levity my matter,
Like enough a withered leaf
For the winds to scatter. (The Archepoet)

English Poetic Devices for Arranging the Words

31. Rhyme Scheme: The sequence of sounds that repeats at the conclusion of a line or stanza is known as a rhyme scheme. Line by line, stanza by stanza, or throughout the entire poem, rhyme schemes might alter.

Example: “The sun is shining bright
This is a lovely sight”

32. Stanza: A stanza is a method of splitting and grouping lines in a poem, separating one group of lines from other groups of lines by line spacing or indentation.

Example: As I behold the beautiful sunrise
It is like seeing a lovely surprise.

34. Kenning: A two-word sentence that uses metaphors to describe an item is known as a kenning. A riddle made up of a few lines of kennings that describe someone or something in perplexing detail is known as a kenning poem. It is sometimes referred to as a “compressed metaphor,” which refers to meanings expressed in a limited number of words.

Example: a two-word phrase “whale-road” represents the sea.

35. Verse Line: Writing technique Single-line poetry is referred to as verse. A stanza or other poetic components may also be mentioned while using this phrase.

Example: I’ll buy you a diamond ring my friend if it makes you feel alright
I’ll get you anything my friend if it makes you feel alright
Cos I don’t care too much for money, and money can’t buy me love

36. Blank Verse & Free Verse: Blank verse is written in strict iambic pentameter, but has no rhyme scheme and Free verse contains no rhyme and no meter.

Example: This Is Just to Say by William Carlos Williams.

37. Snippet: A snippet is a brief segment of anything.

Example: where you only hear a short amount of information is example of snippet.

38. Ballad: A ballad is a type of narrative poem written in a sequence of four-line stanzas as a literary device.

Example:  La Belle Dame sans Merci by John Keats

39. Epitaph: An epitaph is described as an inscription or written remembrance of a person on a gravestone or in a work of literature.

Example: “The Best Is Yet To Come.”—Frank Sinatra

40. Haiku: Japanese poetry known as haiku is composed of only a few brief, unrhymed lines. These lines can be expressed in a variety of short poems. The most typical haiku structure, however, consists of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables each. A haiku poetry often focuses on a single, intense feeling or picture.

Example: “The Old Pond” by Matsuo Bashō 

41. Limerick: limerick, a common kind of quick, funny poem that is usually inappropriate and nonsensical. It is composed of five lines that rhyme with each other in the pattern aabba. The primary metre is anapestic, with two metrical feet in the third and fourth lines and three feet in the other lines.

Example: There was a young woman named Bright,
Whose speed was much faster than light.
She set out one day,
In a relative way,
And returned on the previous night.

42. Ode: An ode is a brief, lyrical poetry that frequently praises something.

Example: “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats 

43. Rondeau: The rondeau, so named because it uses the term “round” in French, is distinguished by its two rhyme sounds and rentrement, or refrain, which repeats throughout.

Example: Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Now welcome, summer” at the close of The Parlement of Fowls

44. Sestina: A poem composed in a highly particular, intricate form is called a sestina. The poem is in the French sestina style, with six stanzas of six lines each and a final triplet of three lines.

Example: Elizabeth Bishop’s “A Miracle for Breakfast” was published in 1972.

45.Triolet: The first line of Triolet is repeated as the fourth and seventh lines, while the second line is repeated as the eighth line. Triolet has just two rhymes.

Example: Hardy’s poem, “How Great My Grief,”

46. Villanelle: The first and third lines of the first stanza are repeated alternately in the subsequent stanzas of this French poetic form, which has five three-line stanzas and a concluding quatrain.

Example: Dylan Thomas’s poem “Do not go gentle into that good night”.

English Poetic Devices for Adding Imagery

1. Synthesia: Synesthesia is a figure of speech in which terminology from one sense are used to describe another. Since similes are a simple method to connect two previously disparate pictures, examples of synesthesia frequently take this form.

Example: “The silence was as thick as a forest.”

49. Imagery: In a literary or poetic context, imagery refers to the author’s use of vivid language and description to enhance the reader’s comprehension of the work by appealing to their senses.

Example: The autumn leaves are a blanket on the ground.

50. Tone or Mood: The basic definition for “tone” is created by the reader’s perception of the cumulative moods and mental or emotional states of the narrator, characters, and writer. This is the technical definition of “tone”: The general mood that a work of literature radiates.

Example:

“Shall I compare thee to a

Summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and

More temperate.”

50 Common Difficult Idioms with Examples

Poetic Devices in Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
– Fire and Ice by Robert Frost

• Assonance: Same vowels are repeated in I hold with those who favor fire“
• Alliteration: Favor fire; Some say
• Imagery: for Destruction Ice, the world will end in fire
• Rhyme: Desire -> Fire; Twice -> Ice -> Suffice
• Personification: Fire and Ice are given human qualities by showing them as capable of destruction.

Why are Poetic Devices Used?

Poetic devices are important literary tools that are used to intensify an emotion, add rhythm or make a poem more meaningful. A poetic device plays a significant role in putting a poem in all its beauty by intensifies its meaning, enhancing the emotional feeling and leaving the reader mesmerized! Here are the top reasons why poetic devices are used:

• To add rhythm and tone to a poem by rhyming words, using sounds, etc.
• To enhance the imagery in a poem by using metaphors, natural imagery, etc.
• To improve or intensify a certain feeling in the poem by personification, irony, etc.
• To make a poem more meaningful with wordplay, similes, metaphors, allusion, etc.
• To add structure to a poem like with stanzas, ballet, sonnet, etc.

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