Poetry Glossary

"Discover the language of poetry, from alliteration to zeugma."

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Term Definition Example
CacophonyA harsh, discordant mixture of sounds."With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, Agape they heard me call."
CaesuraA break between words within a metrical foot.The poet used a caesura to add a dramatic pause.
CaesuraA pause in a line of verse, often near the middle."To err is human; || to forgive, divine."
Carpe DiemA theme in poetry that encourages readers to seize the day and make the most of the present moment.Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" is a classic carpe diem poem.
ChiasmusA rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures."Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You."
ClerihewA whimsical, four-line biographical poem with an AABB rhyme scheme."Sir Humphry Davy Abominated gravy. He lived in the odium Of having discovered sodium."
ConceitAn extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem.John Donne's poem "The Flea" uses a conceit to compare a flea bite to the act of love.
ConsonanceThe recurrence of similar sounds, especially consonants, in close proximity.The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew.
ConsonanceThe repetition of consonant sounds, typically at the end of words."The lumpy, bumpy road."
CoupletTwo lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme, that form a unit.The time is out of joint, O cursed spite / That ever I was born to set it right!

Our comprehensive Poetry Glossary, designed for students, teachers, and poetry enthusiasts alike. Whether you're delving into poetic forms, exploring rhyme schemes, or understanding the nuances of metrical feet, our glossary is an essential resource to enhance your study of poetry.

Our glossary covers a wide range of poetry terms, from alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, to the structure of free verse, which flows without a fixed metrical pattern. Learn about how stressed and unstressed syllables form the foundation of metrical feet, or explore how a rhyme scheme organizes the pattern of sounds at the end of lines in a poem.

Use the search function to quickly find terms like group of lines in a stanza or the repetition of sounds in a poem or section. Whether you're looking to understand how a series of words creates rhythmic patterns or how the number of syllables affects the flow of a line of poetry, our glossary has the definitions and examples you need.

How to Use the Poetry Glossary

To find a term, use the search bar at the top of the glossary page. Start typing the word or phrase you’re looking for, and relevant entries will appear. Each entry includes a definition, examples, and additional notes for context.

Each entry in the glossary includes a clear definition of the term, followed by an example or explanation. For instance, the term "iambic pentameter" is defined as a metrical line of ten syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed syllables. This pattern is common in English poetry, particularly in sonnets by poets like Shakespeare.

For terms that might be unfamiliar, example sentences or famous lines of poetry are included to illustrate usage. For example, a “narrative poem” might include an excerpt from a classic work, showing how it tells a story through verse, unlike shorter lyrical poems.

The glossary includes various types of poetic terms, such as rhyme schemes like "abab cdcd efef gg" or "abba abba", and poetic forms like the Shakespearean (or English) sonnet and the Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet. Each entry provides an accessible definition to help deepen your understanding of poetry.

Type "sonnet" into the search bar to find entries on both Shakespearean (or English) and Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnets. The glossary provides details on their rhyme schemes, structures, and famous examples, helping you distinguish between different types of sonnets.