Poetry Vocabulary.

Poetry Vocabulary.

 

USE AS MANY OF THESE WORDS AS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU ARE ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON THE UNSEEN AS WELL AS THE SEEN POETRY QUESTIONS.

 

Title: Consider the relevance of the title in relation to the overall theme(s) of the poem(s).

 

Theme: What is the poem about? There can be multiple themes in any poem.

 

Tone: Voice of the poet. Is he/she happy, sad, etc?

 

Atmosphere/Mood: Feelings created in the poem e.g. a sombre mood, a happy mood, etc.

 

Images: Pictures created in your mind while reading the poem. The poet creates these images through the words he/she uses.

 

Adjectives: Descriptive words in the poem.

 

Metaphor: Used to create an image. Portrays something as something else, e.g. “The girl is a flower.”

 

Simile: Also used to create an image, portrays something as being like something else, e.g. “The girl is like a flower.”

 

Personification: This occurs when something is given a human quality, e.g. “The tree was dancing in the wind.”

 

Alliteration: Same sound, beginning of words in the same sentence.

 

Sibilance: Words in the same sentence beginning with a “s” sound.

 

Assonance: Words in the same sentence with long vowel sounds. Used to create a sad/mournful tone.

 

Onomatopoeia: The sound of the word is the same as its meaning.

 

Cacophony: Occurs when a port uses a harsh mixture of consonants to produce an unpleasant sound. Often used to reflect an unpleasant scene.

 

Run-on-lines: Occurs when there are no full stops between sentences. Usually used to create an excited tone.

 

Hyperbole: Occurs where a poet uses exaggeration to create an image or to make a point.

 

Verses: May also be referred to as stanzas.

 

Ode: A poem in praise of something.

 

Lament/Elegy: A poem mourning the loss of someone/something.

 

Sonnet: A poem divided into an eight line descriptive Octet and a six line reflective Sestet.

 

Satire: A poem that humorously highlights a serious issue.

 

Neologism: Occurs when a poet makes up a word.