Poetic Terminology

6. Placing two contrasting ideas or images close together to highlight their differences or create a striking effect.
7. A repeated line or group of lines in a poem, often at the end of a stanza, used for emphasis or rhythm.
10. A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM).
11. Poetry that does not follow a regular meter or rhyme scheme. It mimics natural speech and allows for greater flexibility.
14. A poem that tells a story, complete with characters, a plot, and a setting.
15. A figure of speech that describes something as if it were something else, without using “like” or “as” (e.g., “Time is a thief”).
18. A grouped set of lines in a poem, often separated by a space, functioning like a paragraph in prose.
19. DUM-da-da DUM-da-da rhythm. It creates a galloping rhythm, often used in heroic or dramatic poetry.

1. The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses for emphasis.
2. A comparison using “like” or “as” (e.g., “as brave as a lion”).
3. Unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter. Common in English dramatic, epic, and reflective verse.
4. da-da-DUM rhythm. Often used in comic or light verse.
5. A long speech by a single character in a poem or play, often revealing inner thoughts or emotions.
8. The deliberate reuse of words or phrases for emphasis or effect.
9. A pause or break within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation, used for effect or to mirror natural speech.
12. A question asked for effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.
13. A narrative poem that tells a story, often in quatrains with a regular rhythm and rhyme scheme. Traditionally passed down orally.
16. The continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break without a pause. It can create a sense of movement or urgency.
17. Descriptive language that creates vivid mental pictures.