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[MsJacquiiC]

Vocabulary For Poets

Because poetry tends to be an especially musical form of writing, there are a number of words that poets use to talk about their particular techniques.

“Getting to know the vocab of poetry up-close and personal is one gigantic step towards perfecting your own poetic craft.”

Here is some vocabulary to help you discuss the music of your poetry. Knowing these word definitions will help you discuss poems. Enjoy!

1. Alliteration
   Repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words.
   
   
2. Anapest
   Two unaccented syllables followed by an accented one, as in un-der-STAND.
   
   
3. Assonance
   Repetition of similar vowel sounds.
   
   
4. Caesura
   A pause within a line.
   
   
5. Dactyl
   A stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones, as in SHUD-der-ing.
   
   
6. Diction
   The selection of words in a literary work—for example, if a narrator says blood-red, that selection has different connotations than rose-red, even though the colors may be similar.
   
   
7. Elision
   The omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable—such as o’er for over.
   
   
8. Falling meter
   Meters that move (or fall) from stressed syllables to unstressed syllables.
   
   
9. Foot
   A unit of measure in a metrical line; syllables included in a kind of musical bar or measure.
   
   
10. Iamb (as in Iambic)
    An unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one, as in at-TEMPT.
    
    
11. Meter
    The pattern of accents in poems.
    
    
12. Onomatopoeia
    Words that imitate the sounds they describe.
    
    
13. Pyrrhic
    A metrical foot composed of two unstressed syllables (as in for the).
    
    
14. Rhyme
    Matching sounds in two or more words.
    
    
15. Rhythm
    The repetition of accents or stresses.
    
    
16. Rising meter
    Poetic meters that move (or ascend) from unstressed to stressed.
    
    
17. Spondee
    A metrical foot represented by two stressed syllables.
    
    
18. Style
    The way an author selects and arranges words, and develops ideas using literary techniques.
    
    
19. Syntax
    The order of words.
    
    
20. Tone
    The writer’s attitude implicitly conveyed through diction, syntax, etc.
    
    
21. Trochee
    Accented syllable followed by an unaccented one, as in MAY-be.

If you love words, we know you love poetry vocabulary! Use these definitions when talking about your poetry.

Find more info on specific types of poetry in the forums at Types Of Poetry - Poetry in Color Forum




[ Source: Writers Relief ]