POETIC DEVICES

Poetic devices are literary techniques not exclusively limited

to poetry. Poetic devices are used by good writers in all
professions, from novelists, to journalists, to advertisers. This is
because poetic devices are pleasing to hear. The use of poetic
devices is separate from the study of poetic devices.
For example, someone can have an advanced perception of what
words sound good next to each other without knowing the
technical terms applied to these techniques (perhaps you can
think of a musician to whom this description might apply).
Conversely, one might have mastery of the technical terms
without any ability to create original poetic assemblages.
Poetic devices are often lumped together with figurative
language techniques (simile, metaphor, personification,
understatement).  

1. Alliteration is the repetition of the initial or beginning

consonant sound in words. An easier (though less exact) way
to say this is that alliteration is when the first sounds in words
repeat.  Alliteration often works with assonance and consonance
to make phonetically pleasing arrangements.

Jakia jumped in the jar of jelly.

Despite their mother’s warnings, the children chose to chew with
their mouths open.
The grass grew green in the graveyard.
The cat runs to the kitchen with her kittens. -sound of k
Notice the repetition of the “j” sound in the first
example? Alliteration is not always so jarringly obvious.
Sometimes it is very subtle, such as in the following example:
Though this example is still pretty obvious, it shows that even
when one word starts with a “k” and another word starts with a “c,”
it is still considered an instance of alliteration.  When we study
alliteration, we are concerned with the sounds of the words, not
just the letters.

2. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds- a, e, i, o, u. It

is often used in combination with consonance and alliteration.
He saw the cost and hauled off.
Will she read these cheap leaflets.
The snow in the rose garden groaned.
Notice the repetition of the “awe” sounds in the first example, the
“e” sounds in the second example, or the “o” sounds in the third
example? Assonance can be subtle and may go unnoticed if
you’re not scanning for it.

3. Consonance also known as near rhyme, off rhyme, or slant

rhyme, consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in
the middle or at the end of words. Using consonance is a
sophisticated poetic technique that can create subtle yet beautiful
lyrics or lines of poetry. Here is an example of consonance:
Her finger hungered for a ring.
The satin mittens were ancient.
You could paddle through the spittle in the bottle.
Though the first of the above examples is also an example
of personification, we are interested in the repetition of the “nger”
and “ng” sounds. If nobody is around you right now, say out loud,
“hungry and angry.” Notice how similar the words sound? What
you are hearing is consonance, or the repetition of the “ngry”
consonant sounds.

4. Enjambment is when the writer uses line breaks

meaningfully and abruptly to either emphasize a point or to
create dual meanings. When a poem is read, the reader will
conventionally make a slight pause (shorter than a comma) when
transitioning from line to line. When a writer uses enjambment, he
or she uses this space to spread an idea over more than one line,
either creating an alternate interpretation of the lines or drawing
attention to the enjambed words.

Rolling through the field in the

dead
of winter.

When the word “dead” is placed on a line in isolation, it invites the

reader to focus on that idea. Surrounded by empty space, the
idea may resonate powerfully. Though enjambment could be used
during a speech, the term “enjambment” is generally applied to
the study of poetry.
5. Imagery is when the writer or speaker uses their
descriptions to access the senses of the reader of
listener. Sometimes this is called, using sensory details. When I
say “senses” or “sensory,” I am referring to the five senses: sight,
hearing, taste, touch, and smell.

An old lump of snow melted in the corner.

The chirping crickets filled the empty night air.
I was awoken by the pleasing scent of the bacon as it wafted
down the hallway.
As you read the first example, you might be visualize snow
melting, because the description accesses your sense of sight.
When you read the second example, you may imagine the noises
that crickets produce, as the imagery in the text references this
sound.
And as you encounter the third example, you may recall the
aroma of bacon based on the imagery in the sentence. Good
writers don’t just tell you things, they show you things by using
imagery.

6. Repetition is when the writer or speaker knowingly repeats

a word or group of words for effect. This is a strong rhetorical
technique that can also be used to build a theme in a speech or
poem. It is important to note that it is not considered using
repetition when a writer or speaker repeats essential articles,
prepositions, pronouns, or conjunctions that are frequently used
unintentionally as the mechanics of language dictate.
Nobody, oh nobody can make it out here alone.
Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
Love is a red, red rose.
In the first example, only one word in the sentence is
repeating: nobody. Nonetheless, this is still considered repetition.
A poet, writer, or speaker may also repeat more than one word to
have a greater impact or to highlight the importance of an idea,
such as in the second example. In the second example a whole
group of words repeats: Free at last. Each method of repetition
can effectively embolden a message.

7. Rhyme is when the end or final sound of two or more

words are identical. If the end sounds are not identical, then the
speaker or writer is using consonance or assonance instead.
Rhymes can also occur internally or on the inside of words or
lines of poetry. A rhyme may also be monosyllabic (a one syllable
rhyme) or polysyllabic (rhyme two or more syllables), such as in
the following examples:
I left my punch card on the lunch yard. (a one syllable rhyme)-
consonance
I drove a race car to the space bar. - consonance
We saw a butter fly flutter by. (rhyme two or more syllables)
The following is an excerpt from Robert Frost's "Acquainted with the Night."

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. - A

I have been one acquainted with the night. (end rhyme)
RHYME SCHEME – IS THE RHYMING PATTERN CREATED AT THE
END OF THE LINES OF POETRY
Mary had a little lamb -A
Its fleece as white as snow -B
And everywhere that Mary went -C
The lamb is sure to go -B

Internal rhyme occurs when the rhyming words appear in the middle of a
line.

“the crows in boughs throws endless brawls” (internal rhyme)

8. Rhythm is when the arrangement of words creates an
audible pattern or beat when read out loud. A good way to
check to see if a passage of text is using rhythm is to just hum the
sounds that the words make rather than clearly pronouncing
them. If you can hear a song or identify a form in the sounds, then
the text is rhythmic.
STRESSED AND UNSTRESSED SYLLABLES

There once was a guy from Chicago / Who drank away all of his
problems.
I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny / but we can have lots of
good fun that is funny.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Instead of just reading these examples, trying humming them. Do
you hear how they sort of bounce? This is a rhythm.
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9. Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a sound device that represents the exact
sound of something in the poem. The poet forms a word to imitate
the sound made by the object in the poem.
It's a form of sound symbolism, whereby the letters represent a
sound and might not be a recognizable word in the dictionary.
Some forms of onomatopoeia are obvious and universally
understood, for example;
 splish splash
 ding dong
 tick tock
 achoo
 shh
Also, some words which denote the sound made can be used as
onomatopoeia in poetry such as bark, hiss, clattering, sizzling,
clapping among others.
Nevertheless, onomatopoeic sounds may differ from one culture
to another, even when the poem is in the same language.
In some cultures, the sound cows make is represented by moo. In
other culture, mbooo (read with oh) is the known sound a cow
makes.
Onomatopoeia is common in children's songs and poems.

Example:
The following is an excerpt from Spike Milligan's "On the Ning
Nang Nong."
On the Ning Nang Nong
Where the cows go Bong!
and the monkeys all say BOO!
There's a Nong Nang Ning
Where the trees go Ping!
And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.

10. Meter
Meter is an indicator of patterns of sound in a poem. The meter relies on
the poet's word choice and the characteristics of syllables in those words.
The syllable count can determine the type of meter.
Also, in classical forms of poetry, it's important to note the number of
stressed and unstressed syllables and their position.
Poems stand out because of the poet's brilliant use of the meter.
However, the free verse can stand out because of its lack of a regular
meter.
Metrical measures contribute greatly to the rhythm or the "beats" in a
poem.

Example:
The following is an excerpt from Robert Frost's "Acquainted with the Night."
Each of these lines has 10 syllables that follow one another in a regular
pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. This type of meter is known
as iambic pentameter. Note that in the excerpt below, highlighted are the
stressed syllables in bold letters.
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
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