Poetic Devices

Rhyme
A Poem With The Perfect Rhyme - by Sylvia Chidi
If a poem could cost a dime
I will spend my ink and spend my time
Making the perfect rhyme
More than a million people may read it
Even if I have to sell it on credit
I will be the businesswoman with wit
Sit down! Think about it!
A penny for the perfect sentence
A penny for a poem glaring with essence
A penny for writing about the present and past tense
A penny for describing a situation that is intense
A penny if I write truthfully without pretence
As I turn away from crime
Making the perfect rhyme
If a poem could cost a pound
I will turn my life around
As I compose the perfect poetic sound
That rhymes against any background
My words will be sublime
Not just the perfect rhyme
They will be read both at teatime and during bedtime
My sentences will mature in their prime with time
As I turn away from crime
Making the perfect rhyme

Alliteration
These poems deploy a technique that use the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable
in a line of verse. For example "behind the tree the befuddled beagle barked "..Remember, it is the
sound of the letter and not the letter itself that makes a poem alliterative. So, great and gigantic do
not alliterate, but joke and giant do.
Poetry by Natasha Niemi

http://www.mywordwizard.com/alliteration-poems.html

Fast Rabbits
Rabbits running so very fast
In the field of green, green grass.
Sniffing for scents of snack time treats,
Hippity Hopping on their happy bunny feet.
When carrots and other foods are found
The rabbits prance and pounce.

Curious Cats
Curious cats crouch on the window sill
Watching unwaveringly through the glass
As blue birds fly by.
Curious cats are
Almost two headed in a sensitive sense,
Still alert and aware
Of the running, rotten rats behind them.
The Wonderful Wind
The wonderful wind whistles
Repeated reminders throughout the day
Telling tales of what is coming
Predicting and preparing us to pray.
The wise wind sometimes whispers
The secrets that have been secretly hid.

Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is when a words pronunciation imitates its sound. When you say an onomatopoeic word, the
utterance itself is reminiscent of the sound to which the word refers. Poets use onomatopoeia to access the
readers auditory sense and create rich soundscapes. It is one of many poetic devices dealing with the sounds of
poetry. Many people confuse onomatopoeia with interjections; however, they are two different and distinct
concepts. Interjections are one of the eight parts of speech. An interjection is a sudden outburst of emotion or
excitement, such as ouch or wow.
While some onomatopoeic words may be used as interjections, most interjections do not imitate sounds. Contrarily,
onomatopoeic words, such as buzz or boom, always mimic the noises to which they refer. Here are 101
examples of onomatopoeia:
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The sheep went, Baa.

The best part about music class is that you can bang on the drum.
It is not unusual for a dog to bark when visitors arrive.
Silence your cell phone so that it does not beep during the movie.
Dad released a belch from the pit of his stomach.
The bridge collapsed creating a tremendous boom.
The large dog said, Bow-wow!
Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night?
My brother can burp the alphabet.
Both bees and buzzers buzz.
The cash register popped open with a heart warming ca-ching.
The birds chirp filled the empty night air.
Her heels clacked on the hardwood floor.
The clanging pots and pans awoke the baby.
If you want the red team to win, clap your hands right now!
The cadets swelled with pride when they heard the clash of the symbols at their graduation ceremony.
The dishes fell to the floor with a clatter.
Nothing annoys me more than rapidly clicking your pen.
The bride and groom were not surprised to hear the familiar sound of clinking glasses.
The horses hooves clip-clopped on the cobblestones.
Those clucking chickens are driving me crazy!
The dim-witted pigeon repulsed us with its nerve crawling coo.
If youre going to cough, please cover your mouth.
The prisoner was terrified to hear the crack of the whip.
We roasted marshmallows over the crackling fire.

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The two-year old crashed into the cabinet.

The cabinet opened with a distinct creak.
Dissatisfied with her work, Beth crinkled up the paper and threw it in the trash.
The swamp frogs croaked in unison.
The teacher heard the distinct crunch of ruffled potato chips.
Jacob could not sleep with the steady drip-drop of water coming from the sink.
The root beer fizzed over the top of the mug.
The flag flapped in wind.
Did you forget to flush the toilet?
Daryl gargled the mouthwash.
The wounded soldier groaned.
As Tom got closer, the dog began growling.
Juan had a hard time hearing the teacher over his grumbling stomach.
When Mom asked Tommy how his day went, Tommy just grunted.
Vince gulped down the Mountain Dew.
The patient sounded like he was hacking up a lung.
If you have the hiccups, you should try drink a glass of water.
The snake slithered and hissed.
If you see anyone coming, honk your horn.
The wolves howled at the moon.
The new pencil sharpener hummed efficiently.
They knew that the principal was coming because they heard the jingle of his keys.
Someone is knocking on the door.
That cat will keep meowing until you pet it.
John was disturbed by the strange moaning.
The cow aggressively mooed at the passing freight train.
Janet murmured the answer under her breath.
While lounging in the slop pile, the pigs oinked excitedly.
The hail pattered on the tin gutter.
When he saw the cheese, the mouse could not help but to peep excitedly.
The lunch lady plopped a scoop of something on Kristens tray.
Billy will cry if you pop his balloon.
After eating the knight, the dragon let out a puff of smoke.
Most cats purr if you pat them behind the ears.
The kind man shared his bread with the quacking ducks.
My favorite singers have raspy voices.
Tim would have stepped on the snake had he not heard the rattle of its tail.
The race-car driver revved his engine.
Our peaceful dinner ended when the phone began ringing.
I secretly ripped up the birthday checks that my grandmother sent me.
The lions mighty roar could be heard across the Savannah.
The earthquake rumbled the foundations of our house.
When the wind blew the leaves rustled.
He took off so quickly that his tires screeched.
When Reuben saw what he thought was a ghost, he shrieked like a woman.
I love the sound of bacon sizzling on a weekend.
You could hear the slap echo across the valley.
The thirsty dog slurped the dirty water from the puddle.
The young girl smacked her lips and spoke rudely.
Frank smashed the can on his head.
After making a rude remark, Jade snapped her fingers and rolled her neck.
Having never left the city, Juan eagerly sniffed the country air.
Tommy made me laugh so hard in the lunchroom that I snorted milk out of my nose.
The paintball splattered against the windshield.
Fat Pat did a cannonball in the pool and made a big splash.
Mr. Morton told the student to spit out his gum.
Angie sprayed her neighbor with the hose.

83. Mark tried sneaking in the house but the squeak of his shoes woke up Mom.
84. Jenna ran around the lunchroom squealing like a pig.
85. When he sat down, the young boy squished the unfortunate critter in his pocket.
86. The musician used a coin to strum the guitar.
87. Shaun loved the swish of the basketball net.
88. Michael gently tapped the ball into the hole.
89. Time just keeps on ticking.
90. Bobby threw his books down with a thud.
91. That thump made us jump.
92. If you see him, toot your horn.
93. The rain trickled down the gutter.
94. Birds tweeted long before Twitter did.
95. The lawyer chased after the wail of the sirens.
96. The bullet whizzed by his ear.
97. Bobs big dogs woofed at the unfortunate mail main.
98. Beths little dog would not stop yapping.
99. Spaceman Spiff zapped the alien with his ray-gun.
100. Ronald zipped up his sleeping bag.
101. The race car zoomed past the finish line.

Simile
A simile is the comparison between two unlike things using like or as
Life Without You
Me without you,
is like a leafless fall,
a snowless winter,
and a flowerless spring.
Me without you,
is like a colorless rainbow,
a sunless day,
and a starless night.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-like a syrupy sweet?

Me without you,
is like the ocean without a wave,
the beach without sand,
and a flameless fire.

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Me without you,
is like a book without words,
a man without a face,
and a child with no name.

http://literatureguides.weebly.com/examples-of-poems-with-similes.html

Or does it explode?

http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/life-without-you#ixzz3YdmhqoYx

Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place
of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money)
Here is a list of simple metaphor examples.
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Max is a pig when he eats.

You are my sunshine.
Its raining cats and dogs.
Marys hair was a fierce lions main; always sticking out in wild directions.
He tried to help but his legs were rubber.
I was lost in a sea of nameless faces.
Their home was a prison.
Life is a rollercoaster.
America is a melting pot.
His eyes were ice.
The world is a stage.
Life is a fashion show.
Time is money.
The wheels of justice turn slowly.

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The wheels of justice turn slowly.

She cut him down with her words.
The teacher planted the seed of wisdom.
The clouds sailed across the sky.
He is a chicken.
Your brain is a computer.
A blanket of snow covered the ground.
The lawn is a green carpet.
The stars are sparkling diamonds.
My brother is a couch potato.
His stomach is a black hole.
He was feeling blue.
He has a broken heart.
She has a bubbly personality.
She is a shining star.

What the Snow Man Said by Vachel Lindsay

Metaphors by Sylvia Plath

The Moons a snowball. See the drifts

Of white that cross the sphere.
The Moons a snowball, melted down
A dozen times a year.
Yet rolled again in hot July
When all my days are done
And cool to greet the weary eye
After the scorching sun.
The moons a piece of winter fair
Renewed the year around,
Behold it, deathless and unstained,
Above the grimy ground!
It rolls on high so brave and white
Where the clear air-rivers flow,
Proclaiming Christmas all the time
And the glory of the snow!

Im a riddle in nine syllables,

An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loafs big with its yeasty rising.
Moneys new-minted in this fat purse.
Im a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
Ive eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train theres no getting off.

My Room by: Michelle Krebs, Eve Elsing, Sarah Duckert, and Maria Simental

My room is heaven
with its clouds on the walls
that are lit with a luminous glow
from the gentle morning sun.
That light is the key that opens my eyes.
The pillows on my bed are as fluffy as clouds
and as soft as a baby's bottom.
The birds' chirping is like angels singing in my ears.
I am a god in my room and nothing else matters.