Literary Devices
Mr. Whitehead’s Classroom
What is a poem?
A poem can take many forms.
It can tell a story or just play with sounds.
It can paint a picture. It can tell a joke or
a riddle.
It even can be a bunch of nonsense
words strung together just for fun.
However….
Despite these differences, you can
often use the same skills you would use
to carefully read and understand a
fiction or nonfiction passage to
understand all kinds of poetry.
The Structure
A line is the words contained in one
line of text.
Each group of lines is called a stanza.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
By Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
By Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
Literary Devices
Rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming
lines in a poem. This pattern can be
represented by letters.
For example,
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves
and the mome raths out grabe
Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Literary Devices
Rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming
lines in a poem. This pattern can be
represented by letters.
For example,
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves
and the mome raths out grabe
Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Where the Sidewalk Ends
By Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
3. What is the rhyme
scheme of the first
stanza?
A.
B.
C.
D.
AABBBA
ABABAB
AAABBB
ABABCD
4. What is the rhyme
scheme for the second
stanza
A. CADDDA
B. AABBBA
C. CBDDDA
D. DABBBCA
Literary Devices
Alliteration is the use of two or more
words that begin with the same
consonant sound (such as c, t, th, cl, or
dr). Such lines are called alliteration
when they appear in a single line of
poetry or within a phrase or sentence.
For example,
Susie sells Silly String at the soda stand.
Literary Devices
Onomatopoeia is the use of a word to
represent a real sound. Hiss is an
example of onomatopoeia. Animal
sounds such as moo, baa, and meow
are also onomatopoeic.
Question 5.
Which of these words is an example of onomatopoeia?
a. broom
b. buzz
c. brown
d. bore
Literary Devices
Repetition is the use of the same word
or live over and over gain. This device
is frequently used in song lyrics and
folktales to establish rhythm and to
make them easy to remember.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
By Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
Literary Devices
Figurative language is language that
goes beyond the literal meaning of the
words.
A simile uses like or as to compare
things.
A metaphor says that one thing is
another.
Literary Devices
Figurative language is language that
goes beyond the literal meaning of the
words.
A simile uses like or as to compare
things.
A metaphor says that one thing is
another.
Literary Devices
Questions (Y/N)
7. You are the light in my life.
8. Life is like a box of chocolates.
9. She is as busy as a bee.
10. He tried to help but his legs were
rubber.
11. You are as brave as a lion.
12. He has the heart of a lion.
Literary Devices
Personification gives animals or objects
human qualities.
The moon peeked out from behind a cloud.
The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.
The run down house appeared depressed.
The first rays of morning tiptoed through the
meadow.
She did not realize that opportunity was
knocking at her door.
Literary Devices
Questions (Y/N)
13. The flowers waltzed in the gentle
breeze.
14. The sun glared down at me from the
sky.
15. The moon winked at me through the
clouds above.
16. The wind sang through the meadow.