IHUM Poetry Vocab

Repeating the same word or phrase at the start of several lines or sentences.

A line of poetry that runs into the next line without a pause.

A 3-line poem (5, 7, 5 syllables) that often focuses on nature.

Mixing senses to describe something.Example: “a loud color” or “a sweet sound”

A sad poem written to express grief or loss

Words that create a picture or appeal to the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.).

When words end with the same sound.Example: “cat,” “hat”

A rhyme within a single line of poetry.Example: “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping.”

Words that sound like what they describe.Example: “buzz,” “bang,” “sizzle”

Repeating vowel sounds in nearby words.

The exact dictionary definition of a word

A word or phrase made by rearranging the letters of another word

Poetry that doesn’t follow set rules or structure—it flows like speech.

An exaggeration used for effect.Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

A comparison using “like” or “as.”Example: “Brave as a lion.”

A story where everything (people, places, things) stands for something deeper, like a moral or historical message.

A natural pause in the middle of a line of poetry (ex. the green circled , or ; )

The pattern of rhyming at the ends of lines (like AABB or ABAB).

A long poem telling the story of a hero and their adventures

A line of poetry that ends with punctuation and a clear pause.

Poems that describe or reflect on the natural world.

The original model or example that others copy or follow.

A form of creative writing that uses rhythm, sound, and vivid language.

The beat or pattern of sounds in a poem, like music.

Saying something by denying the opposite (a form of understatement).Example: “Not bad” = good.

Giving human traits to nonhuman things. Example: “The wind whispered.”

Repeating the same beginning sound in words that are close together

A quick, indirect reference to something well-known (Bible or a famous book) that the writer assumes you’ll recognize

Giving human traits to animals, objects, or gods.Example: a talking snake that shares its feelings

Saying one thing is another to show similarity (without using “like” or “as”).Example: “Time is a thief.”

The main message or idea in a work.

A deeper or symbolic meaning, not the literal one.

A statement that seems to contradict itself but actually makes sense. Example: “Less is more.”

A group of lines in a poem (like a paragraph in prose)

The perspective of the speaker in the poem (who is talking).

The feelings or ideas a word suggests beyond its basic meaning.

Poetry with a regular rhythm but no rhyme.

A shift or turn in a poem, often in tone or topic.

How words are arranged in a sentence.

A deep, emotional longing for someone or something lost or never had.

The speaker’s or author’s attitude (serious, sad, playful, etc.).

Two rhyming lines that usually finish a thought or poem.