Poetic Devices

&
Figure of Speech
Part - 2
Rhyme: It is the pattern of rhyme that comes at the end of each verse or line in
poetry. In other words, it is the structure of end words of a verse or line that a poet
needs to create when writing a poem.
Eg.:
● The sun is shining bright
This is a lovely sight.

● You are like a day of May

And I as worthless as hay.

Repetition: It is the repeated use of a word of line to lay emphasis.

Eg. :
● O Captain! My Captain! Rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up – for you the flag is flung- for you the bugle trills….

● “Hatred was spreading everywhere, blood was being spilled everywhere, wars
were breaking out everywhere.”
Simile: A simile is a kind of figure of speech that shows a comparison, creates
similarities between two various things. Unlike a metaphor, a simile draws
resemblance with the assistance of the words “like” or “as.” Therefore, it’s a direct
comparison.
Eg.:
● Her cheeks are red like a rose.
● At exam time, the high school student was as busy as a bee.
● When the teacher entered the class, the 6th-grade students were fighting like cats and
dogs.

Apostrophe: It is considered as a figure of speech sometimes represented by an

exclamation, like “Oh!, O! etc. !”

Eg. :
● “Oh, coffee, my sweet dark coffee. What would I do without you?”
● O world! O life ! O time! , on whose last steps, I climb
My Mother at Sixty Six
Rhyme scheme: The poet does not use any identifiable rhyme scheme in this
poem.

Driving from my parent’s home

To Cochin last Friday morning,
I saw my mother beside me.
doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain

Assonance: Here we see the use of vowel sound that is ‘o’.(To Cochin last
Friday morning), Use of vowel sound ‘o’,’a’, ‘e’ (doze, open-mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse)
that she was as old as she looked but soon
put that thought away, and looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes,
but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale

Consonance: use of the sound ‘s’ and ‘t’

imagery: when the poet say trees sprinting, merry children
spilling
Repetition: Repeated use of ‘looked’
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear, but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma, all I did was smile and smile and smile……

Repetition: use of ‘smile’

Rhyme scheme – The poem does not follow any rhyme or rhythm. It has
been written in free verse.
Simile: Mother’s face is compared to the late winter’s moon – both are dull
and lifeless. use of ‘as’ (as a late winter’s moon).
KEEPING QUIET
Rhyme scheme: None

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much

Assonance: Use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘e’ (Now we will count to twelve, not
move our arms so much)
Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
Alliteration: the repetition of a consonant sound at the start of 2 or more
closely placed words.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

Alliteration- ‘we would’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘sudden strangeness’ – ‘s’

sound is repeated, ‘his hurt hands’ – ‘h’ sound is repeated
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.

Alliteration: ‘wars with’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘clean clothes’ – ‘c’ sound is
repeated
Assonance: use of vowel ‘o’ (victory with no survivors, would put on clean
clothes and walk about with their brothers)
Repetition: use of ‘war’
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves
to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve and you keep quiet and I will go.

Alliteration: we were, so single – minded

enjambment: and for once could perhaps a huge silence……..of threatening
ourselves with death.
A THING OF BEAUTY
Rhyme scheme: aabbc (forever, never, keep, sleep, breathing)
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are
close in series (Sleep-Sweet)
Metaphor: bower Quiet (calmness of the bower is compared to the calming
effect of a beautiful thing)
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall

Anaphora: Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures- Of all the
unhealthy)
Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series
(‘b’ in Band Bind, ‘n’ in Noble nature, ‘s’ in some shape).
Metaphor: wreathing a flowery band (the beautiful things of our life bind us to the
earth)
Imagery: creating a sensory effect of beautiful things lined up in a string ( A flowery
band to bind us)
inversion: normal order of words is reversed ( Are we wreathing a flowery band)
From our dark spirits.Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,

Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close
in series (‘s’ in Sprouting Shady, Simple sheep, ‘c’ in cooling covert)
Imagery: Trees giving shade (sprouting shady boon), growing process of
daffodils (daffodils with the green world they live in), Clean river streams
(Clear rills)
Antithesis: opposite words placed together (old and young)
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close
in series (‘h’ in have heard)
Metaphor: Immortal drinks ( beautiful objects of nature are forever like a
never ending portion of a drink)
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme is used in every stanza of the poem (forever; never,
keep; sleep, dead; read etc.)
Imagery: Bushes full of musk roses (sprinkling of fair musk rose blooms),
books describing valor of fighters (grandeur-..mighty dead), god providing us
with best things (pouring from the heaven’s brink)
 HOMEWORK

You will tell me the rhyme scheme and poetic

devices used in the following poems:
A ROADSIDE STAND & AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
THANKYOU!