POETIC DEVICES: MEANING OF POETIC DEVICES AND EXAMPLES.

POETIC DEVICES TO BE LEARNT

Poetic License

POETIC DEVICES: MEANING OF POETIC DEVICES AND EXAMPLES: Before we dive into the deep, lets first know what POETIC LICENSE IS. Poetic license is the privilege or opportunity given to poets to move away from the status quo (laid down rules) of writing poems. This is common to modern poets. It allows them to use their own styles and to broaden their creativity in expressing their thoughts and ideas. Frank Aig-Imuokhuede’s “One Wife for One Man”, Atukwei Okai’s “Logorligi Logarhythms” and Kofi Anyidoho’s “Old de Boy” manifest poetic license through the type of English language used.

Alliteration

This refers to the repetition of the same consonant sound in words in a line of a poem.

Below are examples of Alliteration

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. The repetition of the /p/ sound constitutes the alliteration in this example
Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
Betty Butter bought some butter, but she said, “This butter’s bitter!”
She saw seven seagulls soaring by the sandy shore.
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear who was fuzzy and wuzzy.
A big brown bear bounded by the babbling brook.
Crazy cats cavorted in the courtyard.
Giddy goats galloped through the green grass.
Mysterious moonlight made the meadow magical.
Waltzing wildflowers welcomed the wandering wind.
Whimsical whales whistled while wandering the waves.
Playful puppies pranced and played in the park.
Lively laughter echoed down the long lane.
Silly squirrels scampered up the sturdy spruce.
Twinkling stars traced trails through the twilight sky. Always keep in mind that alliteration involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words or syllables.

Assonance

This is the repetition of the same vowel sound in the words of a line of poetry, assonance is a literary and poetic device that involves the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, typically within the same line or stanza of a poem. It creates a pleasing rhythmic effect and can help to establish a certain mood or tone in a piece of writing. Assonance is similar to rhyme in that it involves the repetition of sounds, but in assonance, only the vowel sounds are repeated, whereas rhyme involves both vowel and consonant sounds.

Below are examples of Assonance:

“The magical man could see the seats across the sea.” The repetition of the /e/ sound constitutes the assonance in this example.
“The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” (Repetition of the long “a” sound),
“Hear the mellow wedding bells.” (Repetition of the “e” sound),
“Try to light the fire.” (Repetition of the long “i” sound)
“Men sell the wedding bells.” (Repetition of the short “e” sound),
“I lie down by the side of my bride.” (Repetition of the long “i” sound),
“The cat ran after the rat.” (Repetition of the short “a” sound),
“The sun sets over the horizon.” (Repetition of the short “o” sound
“Hear the mellow wedding bells.” – Edgar Allan Poe
“Try to light the fire.” – The Rolling Stones
“I must confess that in my quest I felt depressed and restless.” – Eminem
“The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” – “My Fair Lady”
“Men sell the wedding bells.” – E.E. Cummings
“Old age should burn and rave at close of day.” – Dylan Thomas
“The crumbling thunder of seas.” – Pablo Nerud. Assonance involves the repetition of vowel sounds within words or syllables to create a musical or rhythmic effect.

Allusion

This is a reference to history, classical mythology or religious incident in a literary work. References to historical events are known as historical allusions. References to events or sayings from the Bible are known as Biblical allusions. References to Greek and Roman mythology are known as Classical allusion.

Below is 15 examples of allusions

“He was a real Romeo with the ladies.”
“She had the wisdom of Solomon when making decisions.”
“His betrayal was a real Judas move.”
“She has the voice of an angel, just like in ‘The Voice’.”
“His Herculean strength helped him lift the heavy load.”
“Their love story is like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.”
“He’s a real Einstein when it comes to solving puzzles.”
“She’s a modern-day Cinderella, rising from rags to riches.”
“He had a Midas touch when it came to business.”
“Her beauty could rival that of Aphrodite.”
“His ambition is reminiscent of Napoleon’s.”
“She tackled the issue like a modern-day Joan of Arc.”
“He faced his own Goliath when confronting the challenge.”
“She has the curiosity of Alice in Wonderland.”
“His journey was an Odyssey, full of trials and adventures.”

An allusion is a figure of speech that references a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or other cultural reference to convey a deeper meaning or create a connection in the reader’s or listener’s mind (E.g. References to Hercules, Neptune, Niobe, Diana, Cupid etc.).

Apostrophe

This is the figure of speech in which a person absent or dead, or an object is addressed as if it were present and alive.

Below are examples of Apostrophe

“Milton thou shouldest live this hour,”
“Death Be No Proud”,
“O, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” – William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Juliet addresses Romeo, who is not present, expressing her love and frustration.),
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.” – Nursery Rhyme (The speaker addresses the star, expressing curiosity and wonder.),
“O Captain! My Captain!” – Walt Whitman(The speaker addresses Abraham Lincoln, who had recently been assassinated.),
“O, Death, where is thy sting? O, Grave, where is thy victory?” – The Bible, 1 Corinthians 15:55 (The speaker addresses Death and the Grave, referring to their defeat.),
“O, ye spires of Oxford!” – Matthew Arnold, “Thyrsis” (The speaker addresses the spires of Oxford University with nostalgia),
“Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean!” – Lord Byron, “The Ocean” (The speaker addresses the ocean with a sense of grandeur and admiration.),
“O Solitude! where are the charms?” – Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard” (Eloisa addresses solitude, expressing her feelings of loneliness.),
“Milton! I think thy spirit hath passed away.” – William Wordsworth, “London, 1802” (The speaker addresses John Milton, a famous poet of the past.),
“Ode to the West Wind” – Percy Bysshe Shelley (The entire poem is an apostrophe to the West Wind, calling upon its power.),
“O Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!” – Madame Roland (Madame Roland addresses Liberty, lamenting its abuse in the French Revolution.)

Hyperbole

This is the figure of speech used when something is exaggerated. It always has the effect of showing emphasis. This is sometimes referred to as overstatement or exaggeration.

Examples of Hyperbole.

I’ve told you a million times not to do that!
This suitcase weighs a ton!
The line for the concert was a mile long.
I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse.
The wait for the elevator took forever.
She’s as old as the hills.
I’ve been waiting here for ages!
My backpack is a thousand pounds after all those books.
The party was so loud, I couldn’t hear myself think.
The book was so interesting that I couldn’t put it down for a second.
The car raced down the road faster than the speed of light.
His shoes are as big as boats.
She’s the most beautiful person to ever walk the Earth.
That joke was so funny, I laughed until I cried.
The visitor drank a sea of soup before leaving our house

Irony

This is the figure of speech in which the opposite of what is said is meant. There are different types of irony, below is each type and examples:

Types of Irony and examples

Verbal Irony: When someone says the opposite of what they really mean.
Example: Saying “What a beautiful day” during a thunderstorm. Example: Saying “Augustine is the best student in our class because he had F9 in English and in every other subject.”
Situational Irony: When there’s a contrast between what’s expected to happen and what actually happens.
Example: A fire station burning down.
Dramatic Irony: When the audience knows something that the characters in a story do not.
Example: In a horror movie, the audience sees the killer hiding in a closet, but the character doesn’t know.
Socratic Irony: A type of verbal irony where someone pretends to be naive to expose the flaws in another person’s argument.
Example: “I know nothing about computers,” said by a computer programmer.
Cosmic Irony: When fate or destiny seems to play a cruel joke on someone.
Example: A lifeguard drowning in a swimming pool.
Historical Irony: When events turn out in a way that is contrary to what was expected or intended.
Example: The Titanic, a ship deemed “unsinkable,” sank on its maiden voyage.
Romantic Irony: A literary device where the apparent enthusiasm of a character for the situations they are in is contradicted by the reader’s own awareness of the true situation.
Example: In “Don Quixote,” the protagonist believes he’s a knight on a noble quest, but the readers see him as delusional.
Ethical Irony: When a character’s actions demonstrate a discrepancy between their moral beliefs and their actual behavior.
Example: A doctor smoking despite knowing the health risks.
Tragic Irony: When a character’s actions lead to their downfall, while the audience knows this will happen but the character does not.
Example: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare – both characters believe the other is dead and end up killing themselves as a result.
Historical Revisionism: When history is rewritten or reinterpreted in a way that contradicts the accepted version of events.
Example: Denying the occurrence of a well-documented historical event.
Media Irony: When media or news outlets report events in a way that unintentionally highlights the absurdity or contradiction of a situation.
Example: A headline reading “Police Station Robbed – Suspects Missing.”
Semantic Irony: When a phrase or expression is used in a way that contradicts its literal meaning.
Example: “Clear as mud.”
Classical Irony: A broad term for irony used in literature or drama that encompasses various forms of irony, including situational, verbal, and dramatic.
Irony of Fate: Similar to cosmic irony, this refers to events that seem deliberately contrary to what one expects.
Example: A health-conscious person getting diagnosed with a rare illness despite leading a healthy lifestyle.
Ironic Process Theory: Also known as the “White Bear Principle,” it’s the psychological phenomenon where an attempt to suppress a thought makes it more likely to surface.
Example: Trying not to think about a pink elephant actually makes you think about it more.

Conceit

This refers to a far-fetched comparison which carries out a comparison in detail. Conceit is a strong feature of metaphysical poetry.

E.g. 1

Beauty, like the fair, Hesperian tree,

Laden with blooming gold,

Hath need the guard of dragons watch,

With an enchanted eye,

To save her blossoms and defend her fruit

From the rash hand of bold incontinence.-John Milton.

Eg. 2. She is all states, and all princes, I.-John Donne (Sun Rising).

Enjambment / Run-on-line

This is the device in which a thought or an idea runs from one line into the next one without any punctuation marks at the ending of the previous line. It usually takes place in run-on-lines rather than in end-stopped lines.

Example of Enjambment/ Run-on-line

E.g.:

The panic

of growing older

spread fluttering winds

from year to year

At twenty

stilled by hope

of gigantic success

time and exploration

__The Panic of Growing Older by Lenrie Peters.

End-stopped lines

This is the use of punctuation marks at the ending of the lines of a poem.

Example of end stopped lines

My grandmothers were strong.

They followed plows and bent to toil.

They moved through fields saving seed.

They trenched earth and grain grew.

They were full of sturdiness and singing

Grandmothers were strong,

__Margaret Walker’s “Lineage”

Denotation

This refers to the literal meaning of a word. In other words, it refers to the dictionary meaning of a word. It is the direct and unambiguous definition of a term without any additional meanings or associations. Denotation is the objective and universal aspect of meaning that can be found in a dictionary, as it focuses on the concrete and tangible reference that a word or symbol represents. .

Examples of Denotative meanings

Denotation refers to the literal or dictionary definition of a word, without any emotional or cultural connotations. Here are some examples:

Rose: The denotation of “rose” is a type of flowering plant that typically has prickles on its stems and comes in various colors.
Home: The denotation of “home” is a place where one lives or resides.
Book: The denotation of “book” is a physical or digital object consisting of pages with printed or written content, usually bound together.
Dog: The denotation of “dog” is a domesticated mammal of the species Canis lupus familiaris, often kept as a pet or used for various purposes.
Car: The denotation of “car” is a motor vehicle with four wheels, typically designed to carry passengers on roads.
Table: The denotation of “table” is a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, used for various purposes like eating, working, or placing objects.
Apple: The denotation of “apple” is a round or oval-shaped fruit with a thin skin and edible flesh.
Tree: The denotation of “tree” is a tall perennial plant with a single main stem or trunk, supporting branches and leaves.
Chair: The denotation of “chair” is a piece of furniture designed for one person to sit on, typically having a back and four legs.
Ocean: The denotation of “ocean” is a vast body of saltwater that covers a significant portion of the Earth’s surface.
Phone: The denotation of “phone” is a telecommunications device that allows voice communication between people who are not in the same location.
Cup: The denotation of “cup” is a small, open container with a handle, used for holding liquids.
Fish: The denotation of “fish” is a limbless aquatic vertebrate animal with gills and fins, typically living in water.
Chair: The denotation of “chair” is a piece of furniture designed for seating one person, often having a back and four legs.
Sun: The denotation of “sun” is the star at the center of the solar system, around which Earth and other planets revolve.

In each of these examples, the denotation is the basic, literal meaning of the word, devoid of any additional meanings or associations that might come from context or personal interpretation.

Connotation

This refers to the meaning associated to a word in a poem. Connotation refers to the secondary or implied meaning of a word or phrase, beyond its literal definition.

Example of Connotative meanings

Connotative meaning of dog is “licentious or sexually promiscuous person”.
Dove is Peace, gentleness, purity.
Snake is Deception, danger, cunning.
Lion is Strength, courage, leadership.
Rat is Sneakiness, filth, disease.
Butterfly is Transformation, beauty, fragility.
Wolf is Independence, cunning, loyalty.
Owl is Wisdom, mystery, intuition.
Fox is Cleverness, adaptability, trickery.
Elephant is Wisdom, memory, strength.
Crow is Omen, intelligence, scavenging.

Imagery

Imagery refers to the use of words to appeal to the reader’s senses. Imagery is more like creating pictures in your mind using words. When you read or listen to a descriptive language, it paints a vivid mental picture, it is as if you can “see” what is being described even though it is not actually in front of you.

TYPES OF IMAGERY

1. Visual Imagery: An appeal to the reader’s sense of sight.

2. Tactile imagery: An appeal to a reader’s sense of touch.

3. Olfactory: An appeal to the reader’s sense of smell.

4. Auditory imagery: An appeal to the reader’s sense of hearing.

5. Gustatory imagery: An appeal to the reader’s sense of taste.

Personification

This refers to the giving of human attributes to an inanimate object. Simply put, personification is giving human qualities or actions to things that are not human. It’s like making objects or animals act or feel like people. For example, saying “whisper wind” causes the wind to act like a human (whispering) even though the wind can’t actually speak. It’s a way to make writing more interesting and imaginative by making non-human things come alive or comprehensible.

Examples of personifications

“The four legs of the table”
” The mouth of the river”
“The foot of the mountain”
“The wind whispered through the trees”
“The sun smiled down on the beach”
“The flowers danced in the breeze”
“Time flies when you’re having fun”
“The car engine coughed and sputtered”
“The stars blinked in the night sky”
“The ocean waves whispered secrets to the shore”

Oxymoron

This refers to a statement that combines two seemingly contradictory words in a statement. It is when you combine two seemingly opposite or opposite words to create a new idea or description. It’s like putting two words that don’t usually go together to create a meaning or create a single meaning.

Examples of Oxymoron

Bittersweet
Deafening silence
Act naturally
Pretty ugly
Virtual reality
Living dead
Original copy
Open secret
Seriously funny
Small crowd
Alone together
Awfully good
Only choice
Passive-aggressive
Same difference

Metaphor

This refers to the direct comparison of two unlike things in a given statement without the use of “as or like”. A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying that it is something else. It is not meant to be taken in terms of appearances, but to help you understand or see one thing in relation to another. For example, saying “time is money” helps you understand that time, like money, is precious and should be used wisely. Metaphors make writing more interesting and imaginative by creating connections between different ideas.

Examples of Metaphor

Aku was a lion in the fight.
She is the apple of my eye.
Of course, here are 13 examples of metaphors:
He’s a shining star.
Her laughter was music to his ears.
The world is a stage.
Time is money.
Love is a battlefield.
The classroom was a zoo.
Life is a journey.
His words were daggers in her heart.
The city was a concrete jungle.
She’s a ray of sunshine.
His heart is a stone.
The winds of change are blowing.
Her smile is a beacon of hope.

Simile

This refers to the comparison of two different things with the use of “as’ or “like”. It’s like saying something looks like something else to help you understand it better. For example, “She’s as busy as a bee” compares her activity to that of a bee. Compare makes writing more vivid and colorful by comparing things.

Examples of Simile

Your eyes are like the beautiful, blue boundless skies.
My sister is as honest as an angel
He’s as brave as a lion.
Her smile is like sunshine.
The water was as clear as crystal.
She’s as busy as a bee.
The car roared like a lion.
His voice was as smooth as velvet.
The night sky sparkled like diamonds.
The baby slept as peacefully as an angel.
The wind howled like a wolf.
The coffee was as bitter as gall.

Onomatopoeia

This refers to a word whose sound depicts its meaning. It is when words sound like the noise or sound they describe. It’s like words that mimic real sounds.

Examples of Onomatopoeia

Hiss
Sizzle
Crash
Boom
Crack
Crawl

Synecdoche

This refers to using a part of a thing to represent the whole.

Examples of Synecdoche

1.The manager asked all the members to put all bands on desk.

2.The opposing team came under pressure when they saw the sea of heads at the stadium.

Metonymy

This refers to a figure of speech in which the name of a person, place, or thing, comes to stand for a more complex situation or experience with which the word is associated.

Examples of Metonymy

“Washington” or “White House” for the America government,
“Black Stars” for Ghana,
“Press” for the whole enterprise of journalism.

Paradox

This refers to a statement which looks absurd on the surface but after close examination is found to be true.

Examples of Paradox

1. I may be blind but I’ve got my eyes on you.

2. The child is the father of the man.

Zeugma

A zeugma refers to the situation where a verb or an adjective is made to control two objects in a sentence. Zeugma is when a single word is used in a sentence to bring together different ideas that don’t really go together, but the word has a intent related to both ideas. It’s like using a word to “connect” two things in a clever or unexpected way. For example, “She broke her heart and her car” uses the word “broke” to connect both the heart and the car, even though they are different things. Zeugma adds a touch of creativity to the language. E.g. Andrew will be given a prize and a resounding applause.

Examples of Zeugma

He stole my heart and my wallet.
She lost her keys and her temper.
He opened the door and his mind.
She embraced the future and the stranger.
He mended his clothes and his relationships.
She painted the town and her nails red.
He caught the ball and a cold.
She left in a hurry and a huff.
He found his voice and a friend.
She cooked dinner and up a plan.

Pastoral

This refers to a literary work that has a rustic or rural setting.

Pathetic Fallacy

This refers to the giving of human emotions and qualities to nature. Pathetic fallacy occurs when nature or time is portrayed in a way that reflects or accentuates the feelings or moods of a character or situation. It’s like making time or nature seem to feel like the people in the story. For example, if it rains in a story while a character is sad, it is a tragic mistake because the rain reflects the character’s emotions. It’s a way to create a deeper connection between the atmosphere of the story and the emotions of the characters. E.g. Its been a sorrowful night.

Examples of Pathetic Fallacy

The stormy sky mirrored her turbulent emotions.
The sun smiled down on the joyful celebration.
The wind whispered through the trees as if sharing a secret.
The gloomy clouds matched his somber mood.
The raging sea echoed the character’s inner turmoil.
The flowers danced in the breeze, celebrating the beautiful day.
The tranquil lake reflected her peaceful state of mind.
The howling wind seemed to mourn alongside the grieving family.
The bright day brought a sense of optimism to the air.
The roaring thunder emphasized the intensity of the argument.

Romantic Poetry

This refers to the kind of poetry that deals with the beauty of nature. Shelley and Wordsworth are major romantic poets.

Idyll

This is a short description of a peaceful or pastoral scene in the form of a poem, Idylls are often used to describe a perfect, tranquil world, away from the hustle, bustle and complexity of everyday life.

Examples of Idyll poem

A meadow filled with colorful wildflowers, where butterflies flutter and birds sing.
Children playing by a peaceful river, their laughter echoing through the air.
A cozy cottage nestled in the woods, smoke curling from its chimney.
A picnic under the shade of a sprawling oak tree, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.
A sunrise over a calm lake, painting the sky with shades of pink and orange.
Walking along a sandy beach at sunset, feeling the soft waves lapping at your feet.
A family gathering around a bonfire, sharing stories and roasting marshmallows.
Reading a book in a hammock on a warm summer afternoon, surrounded by blooming flowers.
Riding bicycles through a quaint village, passing by charming cottages and quaint shops.
Stargazing on a clear night, with the sky filled with twinkling stars and a quiet stillness in the air.

LULLABY

This is a soothing song sung to get a child to sleep. This is very common among Africans.

Epigram

This refers to a short witty statement in a poem.

Examples of Epigram

“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” – Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Criticism”
“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Criticism”
“I can resist everything except temptation.” – Oscar Wilde, “Lady Windermere’s Fan”
“No man is an island.” – John Donne, “Meditation XVII”
“Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” – William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”
“Life is too important to be taken seriously.” – Oscar Wilde
“We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Brevity is the soul of wit.” – William Shakespeare, “Hamlet”
“A little learning is a dangerous thing.” – Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Criticism”
“In war, the truth must be protected by a bodyguard of lies.” – Winston Churchill

These epigrams are short, witty, and often carry a deeper insight or meaning within their concise form.

Dramatic Monologue

This refers to the situation in poetry where the persona speaks in a way which suggests that there are other people present.Dramatic monologue is a common feature of dramatic poetry in which a character speaks aloud their thoughts, feelings, or experiences. This type of poetry allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the inner world and the character’s point of view. Notable poets who made extensive use of dramatic monologue include Robert Browning and Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Example of Dramatic Monologue

Lord Byron’s “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning:
“That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now…”

Litotes

This occurs when an affirmative statement is made through the use of the negative of the affirmative. Litotes is an expression where you use a negative sentence to emphasize something positive. It’s a way to say less means more. For example, saying “It’s not bad” means that something is actually quite good. It’s a subtle, gentle way to emphasize or emphasize a quality without using direct praise.

Examples of Litotes

Business is not bad at all.
A quiet person is no fool.
She’s not unkind.
The movie is not boring.
He’s no stranger to hard work.
The weather isn’t bad today.
The cake is not too shabby.

Epithalamium

This is a poem composed for the occasion of someone’s wedding

Contrast

This happens when two contradictory ideas or characters are put together in a poem, play or novel. In a poem, contrast is introduced with words such as ‘buť, yert, ‘nonetheless’.

Anaphora

This refers to the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of lines in a poem. E.g.

Example of Anaphora

Old age is wise and full constant truth,

Old age well stayed from ranging humor lives.

Old age hath known, whatever was in youth,

Old age overcame the greater honor gives.

The repetition of “Old shows anaphora.

Transferred Epithet

This occurs when an adjective meant to qualify a particular word in a sentence is transferred to another word in the given statement. A transferred epithet is when you describe one thing in terms that would normally describe something else. It’s like giving an adjective to one thing, but it actually applies to something else nearby. For example, saying “a sleepless night” uses “sleepless” to describe a night, but is actually someone who can’t sleep. It is a way to create a vivid and memorable image using words in a unique way.

Examples of Transferred Epithet

1. Jacob slept on a restless pillow. Here, the restlessness of Jacob has been transferred to qualify the pillow.

2. The travellers walked along a weary road. In the statement, the weariness or tiredness of the travellers has been transferred to qualify the road.

Metre

This refers to the measured arrangement of words to conform to a regular pattern in a line of poetry. It refers to the rhythmic structure of a poem, determined by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line. The meter helps establish the overall rhythm and musical quality of a poem, giving it a distinct rhythmic pattern. This rhythmic pattern is created by repeating combinations of stressed and unstressed syllables, forming patterns known as “feet”

Couplet

A poem of two lines.

Example of a couplet

“But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

Tercet

A poem of three lines.

Example of a tercet

“There is no greater sorrow

Than to recall a happy time

In misery.”

Quatraint

A poem of four lines.

Example of a Quatraint

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (A)

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:(B)

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, (A)

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:” (B)

Limerick

This refers to a humorous verse or poem in five lines

Example of a Limerick

“There once was a cat from Kilkenny, (A)

Who thought there was one cat too many. (A)

He fought with his clone, (B)

Till they both turned to stone, (B)

And now they’re a pair of statues in any.” (A)

Sestet

A Poem of six lines

Example of Sestet

“Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks (A)

Within his bending sickle’s compass come; (B)

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, (A)

But bears it out even to the edge of doom. (B)

If this be error and upon me proved, (C)

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.” (C)

Octave

A poem of eight lines

Example of Octave

“Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold, (A)

And many goodly states and kingdoms seen; (B)

Round many western islands have I been (A)

Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. (B)

Oft of one wide expanse had I been told (A)

That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne; (B)

Yet did I never breathe its pure serene (A)

Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:” (B)

Sonnet:

A poem of fourteen lines.

Example of Sonnet

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (A)

Thou art more lovely and more temperate: (B)

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, (A)

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: (B)

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, (C)

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; (D)

And every fair from fair sometime declines, (C)

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d; (D)

But thy eternal summer shall not fade (E)

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; (F)

Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade, (E)

When in eternal lines to time thou growest: (F)

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, (G)

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” (G)

Villanelle

A poem of nineteen lines

Example of Villanelle

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.