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Guide to Poetic Terms. This is a list of terms for describing texts, with an emphasis on terms that apply specifically to poetry, that appear most frequently in literary criticism, or for which dictionary definitions tend to be unenlightening.
- Allegory. An allegory is a story, poem, or other written work that can be interpreted to have a secondary meaning. Aesop’s Fables are examples of allegories, as they are ostensibly about one thing (such as “The Ant and the Grasshopper”) but actually have a secondary meaning.
- Alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of a sound or letter at the beginning of multiple words in a series. “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary…”
- Allusion. An allusion is an indirect reference to something. “The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them hardest.” - Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
- Apostrophe. An apostrophe is a poetic device where the writer addresses a person or thing that isn’t present with an exclamation. “O stranger of the future!
- Acrostic Definition
- Acrostic Examples
- Why Do Writers Choose to Write Acrostics?
- Other Helpful Acrostic Resources
What is an acrostic? Here’s a quick and simple definition: Some additional key details about acrostics: 1. While the most common type of acrostic is one formed by the initial letters of each line, there are many different types of acrostics with letters in different positions. 2. The word that is spelled out in an acrostic is called the acrostich. ...
In the examples below, the letters that form the acrostich (the acrostic's hidden message) are bold.
Acrostics are used to add new dimension to a poem or other text. They can transform straightforward poetry or prose into a word puzzle by enlisting the reader to decode a secret message. In addition, acrostics are often used to spell out names or meanings that are associated with the text but that have not been said outright—this can be used for co...
The plot of a story explains not just what happens, but how and why the major events of the story take place. Plot is a key element of novels, plays, most works of nonfiction, and many (though not all) poems.
Apr 29, 2020 · 1. Anonymous, ‘ Sir Patrick Spens ’. The King sits in Dunferline toun, Drinkin the blude-reid wine. ‘O whaur will A get a skeely skipper. Tae sail this new ship o mine?’. We’ll begin this selection of classic narrative poems with a quintessential type of poetic narrative: the ballad.
Feb 16, 2024 · The poet’s choice of words clearly determines their tone. If a poet uses words like “harsh” or “cruel” to describe their subject, the poem clearly has an offended or unhappy tone. However, if a poet uses words like “dream-like” or “fantastical”, their tone is imaginative.
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The pattern of rhyme in a stanza or poem is shown usually by using a different letter for each final sound. In a poem with an aabba rhyme scheme, the first, second, and fifth lines end in one sound, and the third and fourth lines end in another. Rhyme structure - The pattern that is made by the rhyme within each stanza or verse. Eg abab, aabb ...