anaphora
the repetition of words or phrases in a group of sentences, clauses, or poetic lines
aubade
A love poem or song welcoming or lamenting the arrival of the dawn
assonance
repetition of vowel sounds within a line of poetry
blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter
consonance
the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within a line of poetry
caesura
a pause or a sudden break in a line of poetry
enjambment
in poetry, the running over of a line or thought into the next of verse
epigram
a short poem or verse that seeks to ridicule a thought or event, usually with witticism or sarcasm
lyric
poetry: a song-like poem written mainly to express the feelings or emotions of a single speaker
metonomy
the metaphorical substitution of one word or phrase for another related word or phrase. Example: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” The word “pen” is used in place of “words” and the word “sword” is used to represent the idea of fighting or war.
Ex: Government = "White House"
paradox
a statement that seems to contradict itself but is, nevertheless, true
not a phrase, but a situation
parallelism
the use of similar grammatical constructions to express ideas that are related or equal in importance. For example: The sun rises. The sun sets.
sonnet
a sonnet is a distinctive poetic style that uses a system or pattern of metrical structure and verse composition usually consisting of fourteen lines, arranged in a set rhyme scheme or pattern. There are two main styles of sonnet, the Italian sonnet and the English sonnet.
1. The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet is usually written in iambic pentameter. It consists first of an octave, or eight lines, which asks a question or states a problem or proposition and follows the rhyme scheme a-b-ba, a-b-b-a. The sestet, or last six lines, offers an answer, or a resolution to the proposed problem, and follows the rhyme scheme c-d-e-c-d-e.
2. In the English or Shakespearean sonnet the octave and sestet were replaced by three quatrains, each having its own independent rhyme scheme typically rhyming every other line, and ending with a rhyme couplet. Instead of the Italianic break between the octave and the sestet, the break comes between the twelfth and thirteenth lines. The ending couplet is often the main thought change of the poem, and has an epigrammatic ending. It follows the rhyme scheme a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g.
synechdoche
a literary technique in which the whole is represented by naming one of its parts. Example: “You've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels.” The vehicle is represented by its parts, or wheels
oxymoron
oxymoron: a form of figurative language combining contradictory words or ideas (ex. jumbo shrimp, bittersweet)
limerick
a short humorous poem composed of five lines that usually has the rhyme scheme aabba, created by two rhyming couplets followed by a fifth line that rhymes with the first couplet. A limerick typically has a sing-song rhythm.
idiom
a phrase or expression that means something different from what the words actually say (for example, using the phrase “over his head” instead of “He doesn’t understand”)
elegy
a literary song or poem that expresses sorrow or lamentation, usually for one who has died
didactic
designed or intended to teach people something
villanelle
19 lines total: 5 tercet stanzas with a four-line final stanza