POETIC CONVENTION

Ssimiles, metaphors, personification,

assonance & alliteration, repetition, onomatopoeia, imagery, rhyme, rhythm.

SIMILIESComparing two things using

the words “like” or “as”“cutting, swift as an executioner” “Keith walks inside like a defeated

soldier”(Herrick, S. By the River, page 34)

METAPHORSComparing two things without using the words “like” or “as”

“the battlefield we call a playground”“the moon is a shiny silver fingernail”

(Herrick, S. By the River, page 34, 179)

PERSONIFICATION

Giving human feelings to something that is not alive

“the branches scrape their fingers down my window…”

(Herrick, S. By the River, page 79)

ASSONANCE & ALLITERATION

Assonance: repetition of the same vowel sound in words close together

‘fly high’

Alliteration: repetition of same letter to start two or more words in a row

‘cool, calm and collected’

REPETITIONRepeating the

same word or phrase to

draw attention to

it.

“Mrs Appleyard says... Mrs Appleyard says... Mrs Appleyard says... Mrs Appleyard says... Mrs Appleyard. Mrs Appleyard. Go and get stuffed.”

(Herrick, S. By the River, page 23)

ONOMATOPEAIAA word that sounds like the

word it represents.“lightning snaps electricity”“Dad slams our shutters”

“raindrops pound the chook shed”(Herrick, S. By the River, page 149)

IMAGERYDescriptive language used to show

what is physically happening, particularly using the five senses“All I can hear are frogs, rhythmic and low, and my heart, beating, waiting for Johnny”

(Herrick, S. By the River, page 160)

RHYMEUsing words that sound alike

“as we hide,eyes wide”

(Herrick, S. By the River, page 101)

RHYTHMUsing syllable

length and stress to create a beat or pace in poetic lines.

“’NO!’I shout again, ‘NO!’I pick up a rock,hurl it blind,turn and run,Keith fast behindas the glass shattersand doors bang.I don’t stopuntil bedroom safe”

(Herrick, S. By the River, page 100-1)