POETRY

Poetry is the best words in the best places.Poetry begins as a lump in the throat.

Poetry is what makes your toes twinkle.

Poetic Devices

• Alliteration• Assonance• Onomatopoeia

• Rhyme• Rhythm

• Similes• Metaphors• Personification

• Sight• Smell• Taste• Touch• sound

Using the

sensesImagery

Sound EffectsRhyme

and Rhythm

SimilesA simile compares two things as similar, using the words like or as.

Her words cut like... White as... Red like... As hot as... As cold as... He ran like...

...a startled rabbit ...embers in a campfire ...a knife ...drops of blood ...a gussy ...an early Winter’s morning

Activity

Create your own similesAs cold as...

Beautiful, like...

As alert as...

Boldly, like...

Touch

Texture

Feel

Metaphors:A metaphor is another way of creating an image. A metaphor says that one object is another:

The night is... The sun is... My bed is... His laugh is... A book is...

...an adventure to be taken ...a warm cocoon ...a dark hot chocolate ...a flower in springtime ...a healer’s touch

The beachThe beach is a quarter of golden fruit,a soft ripe melonsliced to a half-moon curve,having a thick green rindof jungle growth;and the sea devours itwith its sharp,sharp white teeth.

William Hart-Smith

PersonificationPersonification is a special kind of metaphor in which human characteristics are given to non-human things: The wind... The trees... The fire... The door... The window... The moon...

...stretch out their withered arms ...smiled down upon us ...groaned to use its weary joints ...leapt and danced with delight ...whispered my name ...screams its protest

Activity

Use personification to create imagery about these things:

A gentle breeze... The cold wind... The branches... The bright sun... The dark night...