Poetry Vocabulary
Apostrophe
 Oxymoron
 Paradox
 Pun

Assonance
 Connotation
 Denotation

Hyperbole
 Metaphor
 Personification
 Simile
 Irony
 Imagery
 Symbol
 Alliteration
 Onomatopoeia
 Allusion

Apostrophe

a sudden turn from the general audience to address a
specific group or person or personified abstraction absent
or present.
 Ex: For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him.
Oxymoron

apparent paradox achieved by the juxtaposition of words
which seem to contradict one another.
 EX: I must be cruel to be kind.
Paradox


an assertion seemingly opposed to common sense, but
that may yet have some truth in it.
A statement that appears to contradict itself
 Ex: What a pity that youth must be wasted on the
young. ~George Bernard Shaw
Pun

a play on words or the humorous use of a word
emphasizing a different meaning or application.

Ex: “Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me
a grave man.” Mercutio
Assonance

repetition of the same vowel sound in words close to each
other.
 Ex: Tilting at windmills
 Thy kingdom come/ thy will be done
Connotation

is the emotional and imaginative association surrounding
a word.
 Ex: Home- safe, warm, protected, family, relaxed
Denotation

The most specific or direct meaning of a word
 Ex: Home-a house, apartment, or other shelter that is
the usual residence of a person, family, or household
Hyperbole

an exaggeration used in speaking or
in writing to create an effect and
not meant to be taken literally.
 He is older than the hills.
 The garbage was piled so high it
almost touched the sky.
 My backpack weighs a ton!
Metaphor

a figure of speech that suggests a
likeness by speaking of one thing as
if it were another; a comparison
without the use of "like" or "as.“
Her hair is silk.
 His home was a prison.
 You are the sunshine of my life.

Personification

a figure of speech in which a thing
or idea is represented as having
human characteristics.
 The saw bit off my finger.
 “…the houses along Gilman Street
began to look more defensive…more
exhausted” (from A Separate Peace)
Simile

a figure of speech in which one
thing is compared to another
different thing by using the word
"like" or "as.“
 The pain engulfed him like a mighty
flame.
 Those girls are like two peas in a pod.
 His toes are as awkward as small
plums.
Irony




a method of humorous or sarcastic expression in which
the intended meaning of a word is the direct opposite of
its usual sense; or what happens in a story is the opposite
of what is expected to happen.
Verbal irony—words are used to suggest the opposite of
what is meant.
Dramatic irony—there is a contradiction between what a
character thinks and what the reader or audience knows
to be true.
Situational irony—an event occurs that directly contradicts
the expectations of the characters, the reader or the
audience.
Imagery

words in poetry, etc., which produce
a mental picture.


Mary touches the
strings and plays
Mary touches the
strings and plays
harp-like morning-glory
some tenderness.
harp-like morning-glory
some tenderness.
Symbol

the use of a person, place, event or
object that has a meaning in itself
but suggests other meanings as
well (symbol)
Alliteration


the repetition of beginning consonant
sounds in a line of poetry; a sound
device.
Example: silence surged softly
Katy kicked the kicker.
 Monkey master.
 Tired Timmy taught the tired teacher.
 Cocky Ken kicked the can.

Onomatopoeia

the use of words that sound like the
things they name or describe; a
sound device.
 The fly buzzed past.
 The arrow whistled in the still air.
 The wind whistled and wailed.
 Dave whooshed down the hill.
Allusion

an implied or indirect reference, as
in a famous person's name used to
refer to someone with similar
character traits.



She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased
anything except the bare necessities.
The girl's love of sweets was her Achilles heel.
It’s a story as old as Cain and Abel.