Poetic Techniques

noun a word or phrase that has two interpretations or significances

adjective having two interpretations or significances

• The poet's use of double meaning in his verses adds depth to his work.
• I love jokes with a double meaning - they always make me laugh.
• That song has a double meaning, if you know what I mean.
• Her smile had a double meaning, hiding both joy and sadness.

noun a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense to add rhetorical force to a spoken or written passage

preposition a word used before a noun or pronoun to show its relationship to another word in the sentence

• The author used a figure of speech to enhance the imagery in the poem.
• I love how she plays with figures of speech in her writing.
• That rapper has some sick figures of speech in his lyrics.
• The politician's statement was not to be taken literally, as it was a figure of speech.

noun a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

• The author's use of metaphor throughout the novel added depth to the characters and themes.
• I like how the singer uses metaphor to describe love in his songs.
• That movie was so bad, it was a metaphor for my life.
• Her smile was a metaphor for sunshine on a cloudy day.

adjective relating to or characterized by onomatopoeia, the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named

• The term 'onomatopoeic' refers to words that imitate the sound they represent.
• I love how onomatopoeic words like 'buzz' and 'hiss' sound exactly like what they describe.
• Kids these days use so many onomatopoeic words in their text messages, like 'lol' and 'omg'.
• The onomatopoeic nature of the poem's language added an extra layer of depth to its meaning.

noun a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid

• The poet used a simile to compare the sunset to a golden coin.
• She explained the concept using a simile about baking a cake.
• I heard this great simile about love being like a rollercoaster.
• His words were like a sharp sword, cutting through the silence with a simile.

noun the capacity for inventive thought and quick understanding; keen intelligence

verb to be aware of; to know

• She demonstrated her sharp wit during the debate, impressing the audience with her quick thinking.
• John always has a witty remark ready in any situation, he's known for his sense of humor.
• That comedian has some serious wit, his jokes always have me in stitches.
• The writer's wit shone through in her clever use of wordplay and double entendres.

noun a rhetorical device that uses multiple conjunctions in close succession, typically where they are not necessary

• The author's use of polysyndeton in the passage created a sense of rhythm and emphasis.
• The repeated use of 'and' in that sentence is called polysyndeton.
• Yo, that polysyndeton stuff the teacher talked about is like using 'and' a bunch of times in a row.
• Her speech was like a river flowing with polysyndeton, each 'and' connecting the ideas seamlessly.

noun a rhetorical device in which a speaker imitates or echoes the words or sentiments of another person

• The concept of echomimesis is often explored in the field of linguistics.
• I find echomimesis fascinating because it shows how language can mimic sounds.
• I never knew echomimesis was a thing until I took that language class.
• Her use of echomimesis in the poem really brought the imagery to life.

adjective describing a loud or high-pitched sound

• The altisonant voice of the opera singer filled the concert hall with rich, powerful notes.
• I couldn't help but be impressed by his altisonant singing during karaoke night.
• Her altisonant performance on stage was totally lit!
• The altisonant roar of the crowd signaled their overwhelming support for the team.

noun a rhetorical device in which the usual order of words is reversed for emphasis or effect

• The poet used anastrophe to create a sense of emphasis in his verse.
• By switching the word order, anastrophe can make a sentence sound more poetic.
• Anastrophe may seem like a weird grammar rule, but it can actually make your writing more interesting.
• Just as anastrophe flips the order of words, sometimes life throws unexpected twists at us.

noun a group of early 20th-century Russian poets who advocated for clarity, simplicity, and precision in poetry

• The Acmeists were a group of Russian poets in the early 20th century who focused on clarity and precision in their poetry.
• Have you heard of the Acmeists? They were a cool group of poets back in the day.
• The Acmeists were like the OG poetry squad, keeping it real with their words.
• Just like the Acmeists aimed for perfection in their poetry, we should strive for excellence in everything we do.