Poetry Terms
Words are weapons. Your words can change the way people look at the world and even inspire action. Browse some ideas for ways you can use a poem to make a difference.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same first letter or sound in a group of words.
An allusion is an indirect reference to something.
Anthropomorphism is when anything non-human, such as an animal or object, is given human qualities including emotions and actions.
Assonance occurs in a sentence when two or more words near each other have the same vowel sounds but start with different consonants.
Chiasmus is a figure of speech that has two phrases that are parallel and opposite.
Connotation is the association you automatically make with a word, including how the word makes you feel.
Deus ex machina is when an unlikely character, object, ability, or idea is introduced into a story in order to quickly end the conflict and solve any lingering problems.
Epistrophe is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses, sentences, or verses.
Euphemism is when harsh words or phrases with more mild ones to soften the blow of something that could have a more negative connotation otherwise.
Hyperbole is when certain words are used in a phrase to exaggerate an idea.
Imagery is the process of using vivid, descriptive words to give the reader a detailed picture of what is going on in your writing so that they can easily picture, or visualize, it in their own mind.
Juxtaposition is when two (sometimes completely opposite) words are placed near one another, creating a comparison/contrast effect.
A litote is a nice, almost secretive understatement saying something negative or unpleasant without any negative/unpleasant words used in the statement.
Malapropism occurs when a word that fits the context of a sentence is substituted with another, incorrect word.
A metaphor is when a word or phrase for one thing is used in place of another in order to make a comparison between two unlike things and suggest a similarity.
Metonymy occurs when a word or phrase is replaced with a different one which it is associated with.
Onomatopoeia occurs when the sound a word makes mimics what the word means.
Oxymoron occurs when two contradictory words are placed next to one another.
Repetition is when a word or sentence is used more than once within a poem.
Rhyme scheme refers to the particular lines in a piece of poetry that rhyme, usually by using words at the end of each line that sound similar.
A simile is a figure of speech using "like" or "as" to compare one thing to another thing of a different kind.
Synecdoche is when a part of something represents the whole, or vice versa.
A synonym is a word with the same or close to the same meaning as another word.
Verisimilitude refers to when a piece of work appears true and realistic.