3. Poetic Devices
1. speaker - A person who delivers a
speech or lecture.
2. diction - The choice and use of words
and phrases in speech or literature.
3. imagery - Visually descriptive or figurative
language.
4. allusion - An indirect reference.
5. simile - A figure of speech comparing one
thing to another.
6. personification - Giving human character-
istics to nonhuman things.
7. metaphor - Uses like or as in a compari-
son.
8. refrain - Repeated several times.
9. symbol - Used to represent something.
10. stanza - A part of a poem that is the
equivalent of a paragraph in books.
11. alliteration - The same sound or letter
several times in a short writing time period.
12. onomatopoeia - A word that sounds like
what it is. (sizzle, tick tock, etc.)
13. enjambment - Many sentences in a row
without pause. Run-on sentences.
14. connotation - The feelings that come
with a word.
15. denotation - The literal meaning of a
word.
16. euphemism - A way to soften saying
something harsh.
17. tone - The way a certain person says
their words.
18. hyperbole - An obvious exaggeration.
2
4.
5. 2
BLACKOUT POETRY
Blackout poetry is a form of poetry
where, using a sharpie and text, you
black out everything but certain words to
create a poem.
6.
7. HAIKU
3
Haikus are short, three line po-
ems. The first and last lines have 5
syllables, while the second line
has 7.
8. 7
As I harkened toward,
He did utter a vast story.
What a beguiling tale.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! The hoofs smash the ground,
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I hear the rhythmic pounding.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I don’t ride, but fly.
9. I AM
4
I Am poems are poems
about yourself in which you
put something about your-
self in each line.
10. I am persistent and independent.
I wonder about heaven.
I hear the wind on a summer’s day.
I see the grass begin its growth.
I want to be happy.
I am persistent and independent.
I pretend to lead a vast army.
I feel strongly and passionately.
I touch gently.
I worry about my family.
I cry about what could happen.
I am persistent and independent.
I understand that God is there.
I say that this is a faith, not religion.
I dream about such oddities.
11. SONNET
5
A sonnet is composed of 14 lines, each with 10
syllables. They are written using iambic pen-
tameter. They are generally about one thing.
There are two types; Shakespearian and Italian/
Petrarchan.
13. Just like the tumbleweed,
forever blowing in the wind.
Like a glass that's been emptied,
like a poem that's been penned.
Like a gypsy travels from town to town,
like geese flying to the south.
Like a frown turned upside down,
from the corners of my mouth.
I've traveled from place to place,
never staying long.
My trusty friend an old suitcase,
who's never done me wrong.
So for the man who loves to roam,
my just reward, freedom is my home.
Freedom is My Home
Douglas Fulghum
14. I climb on board, mounting my path to the sky.
The first stride she takes, the first beat of wings,
Take me one step higher, teaching me to fly.
As we glide through appearing cloud, my heart sings.
I’ve never felt so high, like I’m touching freedom.
The wind slips through my hair and rushes by,
trailed closely by birds, each winging a hum,
and once they’re past, I can hear myself sigh.
Soon we’ve spent hours just filling our desire,
and I know we must turn back towards reality.
Knowing next time we’ll go even higher,
Reluctantly turning back as we dance over the sea.
In sight of landing, we hover for a time,
just enjoying life, and climbing off.
15. I should like to think it’s easy to be.
To enjoy life with exceptional joy.
But in truth, it takes a brave sort of soul,
Fearless of letting emotion crack through,
Kind with no limit, a leader through all.
It takes a persevering, soft breath to
Make it through every single hard time,
And still love life with ravishing passion.
Find that one quote, that one person, that place
Which, in every sorrowful moment,
Carries you with caring arms to the top
In exuberance and shining triumph.
Once there, stay gloriously lighthearted,
Knowing the storm passes eventually.
19. ACROSTIC
7
Acrostic poems are poems
with one word spelled verti-
cally down, and each one
has another word going out
horizontally.
20. P utting forth the effort
O nly not a ubiquitous effort,
S uprising and exceptional
S hocking us all,
I s this seemingly unnatural,
B y all means once in a
L ifetime experience to see,
Even this is possible.
21. PARODY
8
A parody is a poem that is
a humorous imitation of a
previously written poem.
22. I wrote your name in the sky,
but the wind blew it away.
I wrote your name in the sand,
but the waves washed it away.
I wrote your name in my heart,
and forever it will stay.
I lit the match on the cake,
but blew it out for wishes,
I lit the match on the candle,
but blew it out from fear of what it could become,
I lit the match in the sky,
and kept it for beauty.
24. Teach yourself to live without light,
Because only then can you overcome fear,
And appreciate the light for what it truly is,
A guide, a beacon, but nothing beyond that.
To often we use it as a crutch to make the world look better,
safer.
But then, when the dark comes,
For some reason, we are terrified
Of what the world really is.
So, when the stars start appearing in the dark,
Quietly rejoice, but do not worship them,
For now, you’ve learned to also value the night
For what it truly is, as a revealer and yet,
Forever a concealer.
