The Art ofPoetry

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words.

Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

Repetition of consonant sounds anywhere in nearby words (not just initially).

Repetition of 's', 'sh', 'z' sounds (a specific type of consonance).

Words whose sound imitate their meaning.

Direct comparison between two unlike things (saying one thing IS another).

Comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Giving human qualities to non-human things or abstract concepts.

Continuing a sentence or phrase across a line break without punctuation.

A strong pause within a line of verse, often marked by punctuation.

Language that appeals to sight—color, shape, light, movement.

Language that appeals to hearing—sounds, silence, music, noise.

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines, clauses, or sentences.

Directly addressing an absent person, abstract concept, or inanimate object as if it could respond.

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally.

A figure of speech combining contradictory terms for effect.

A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth upon reflection.

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole, or the whole represents a part.

Substituting a related concept or attribute for the thing itself.

A rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by reversing their structures (AB...BA pattern).

Pleasant, harmonious sound in language, created through smooth consonants and open vowels.

Harsh, discordant sounds in language, created through hard consonants and awkward combinations.