Poetic Terminology

A long, stately poem of varied length, meter, and form. Usually on an exalted subject.

The matching of final vowel or consonant sounds in two or more words

A comparison between essentially unlike things without using like or as

The pattern of related comparative aspects of language involving images in a literary work

A strong pause within a line of verse

A type of structure in poetry characterized by freedom from regularity and consistency

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

A 19-line lyric poem that relies heavily on repetition

A run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over to the next line

The grammatical order of words in a line of verse.

The associations called up by a word that goes beyond the dictionary definition

The recurrence of accent or stress in lines of verse

The dictionary meaning of a word

A type of poem characterized by brevity, compression, and expression of feeling

A type of form in poetry characterized by regularity in rhyme, line length, and meter

The implied attitude of a writer toward the subject and characters of a work

The idea of a literary work abstracted from its details in language, character, and action

A figure of speech involving a comparison between two things using like as, or as though

A 14-line poem in iambic pentameter. Two forms: Shakespearean and Italian

The measured pattern of rhythmic accents in poems

Poetry without a regular pattern of meter or rhyme

The repetition of similar vowel sounds in a line of poetry

The selection of words in a literary work

A narrative poem written in four line stanzas, characterized by swift action