POETIC DEVICES

IMAGERY• Imagery is the use of words that evoke mental pictures that appeal to

the senses.

Example: No matter how high a bird flies, it has to come down for water.

The winter evening settles down

With smell of steaks in passageways.

Six o'clock.

The burnt-out ends of smoky days.

And now a gusty shower wraps.

SIMILE• Simile refers to the use of direct comparison of using as or like.

Example: The tongue is like a sharp knife; it kills without drawing blood.

“Friends are like chocolate cake

You can never have too many.

Chocolate cake is like heaven -

Always amazing you with each taste or feeling.

Chocolate cake is like life with so many different pieces.

Chocolate cake is like happiness, you can never get enough of it.”

METAPHOR• Metaphor refers to the use of indirect comparison.

Example: John is a real pig when he eats.

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune–without the words,

And never stops at all,

- Emily Dickinson

PERSONIFICATION• Personification is the attribution of a human quality to an inanimate object.

Example: Pride invites calamity; humility reaps its harvest.

IN SHADOWS’ VEILS, AT END OF NIGHT,

SWEET MOON REMOVES HER MODEST LIGHT

AND SOFTLY, YET AGAIN, EXHALES

-AT END OF NIGHT, IN SHADOWS’ VEILS.

- ANDREA DIETRICH

ALLITERATION• Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds.

Example: Speak softly, and be slow to begin your speech.

Rabbits running so very fast

In the field of green, green grass.

Sniffing for scents of snack time treats,

Hippity Hopping on their happy bunny feet.

When carrots and other foods are found

The rabbits prance and pounce.

REPETITION

• Repetition is the use of a word or phrase more than once in a passage.

Example: Sweet-melon lips, bitter-melon heart.

PARALLELISM• Parallelism is the use of similar structure in the use of words, phrases, or

clauses.

Example: His mouth is honey, his heart a sword.

To love is to share life together

to build special plans just for two

to work side by side

and then smile with pride

as one by one, dreams all come true.

- KRINA SHAH HA COLLEGE