Unit 3: Elements of Poetry

1. Structure and Form

• Lines – Individual rows in a poem

• Stanzas – Groups of lines (like paragraphs in prose)

• Rhyme – Repetition of similar sounds (e.g., cat/hat)

• Meter – The rhythm or beat in a poem

2. Sound Devices

• Rhyme – End sounds that match

• Rhythm – The beat or flow of the poem

• Alliteration – Repetition of beginning consonant sounds (e.g., “Peter Piper…”)

• Assonance – Repetition of vowel sounds (e.g., “rise high in the bright sky”)

3. Figurative Language

• Simile – Comparison using “like” or “as” (e.g., as brave as a lion)

• Metaphor – Direct comparison (e.g., “Time is a thief”)

• Personification – Giving human qualities to non-human things (e.g., “The wind whispered”)

4. Imagery and Tone

• Imagery – Descriptive language that appeals to the senses

• Tone – The poet’s attitude or mood in the poem (e.g., joyful, sad, angry)