Poetic Devices With

Examples | Definitions,
Uses, Different Types,
and Reasons of Poetic
Devices
Poetic Devices Meaning: What are poetic devices?
Poetic devices are colloquially known as literary devices
which are used in the writing of poetry. Most of the
poems are created with the help of these poetic devices
along with other structural, grammatical, rhythmic,
metrical, verbal, and visual elements. These poetic
devices are usually used to create a unique rhythm in
the lines of the poetry and also to enhance the true
meaning of the poem.
Often it is visible that due to the use of these devices,
the mood or the feelings that the poet wants to express
in the poem is further intensified to another level
altogether. For any poetry to become a masterpiece,
what is most important is to bring about lucidity in the
tone and pattern of writing. Be it a free verse type of
poetry or a sonnet, to bring out the best essence of
poetry writing, one has to make sure the writing is
soothing and rhythmic.
 Important Aspects
Important Aspects of Linguistics
Important aspects of Linguistics that deals with the
structure of a language

 Phonetics: It is the study of speech sounds,

thinking about their physical aspects.
 Phonology: It is the study sounds that a person
makes while speaking.
 Syntax: Syntax is the formation of sentences.
 Morphology: Morphology deals with the formation
of words.
 Semantics: It is the study of certain meanings.
 Pragmatics: It is the study of using a language.

What are Poetic Devices? All

About Poetic Forms and Devices
Poetic devices are a form of literary devices which are
used in poetry. By using the different types of poetic
devices, poetry can be created. The elements that are
used in poetry are such as structural, grammatical,
rhythmic, metrical, verbal, and visual elements. These
poetic devices are the essential tools applied by poets to
create rhythm, enhance a poem’s meaning, or intensify
a mood or feeling represented in the poem.
Why is it Essential to Use Poetic Devices?
Although the use of any poetic device is optional, it is
considered to be very important because these poetic
devices are used to intensify the emotion that the writer
tries to bring about in the poem. Besides this, these
poetic devices are also responsible for adding an
exciting rhythm to the poem, which in turn makes the
poem more meaningful.

When these poetic devices are used in an interesting

manner, they tend to add a visible sense of beauty to
the poems. These devices also intensify the true
meaning of the poems by boosting the style of writing
and making it more dramatic and intimidating. The use
of these devices brings out the emotions hidden in the
poem in the best manner, which often leaves the reader
in a sheer sense of mesmerization.

Important Reasons for Using Poetic

Devices
 Poetic devices are known to add beautiful rhythm
and tone to the writing style of poetry. This involves
the use of rhyming words and interesting sound
effects, among others.
 These poetic devices are also known to boost the
ideas and imagery present in the poems. This
involves the use of similes, metaphors and other
natural imagery expressing techniques, among
others.
  Poetic devices are also responsible for improving or
intensifying all the feelings and emotions which the
writer wants to express through the poem. It boosts
the all-over essence of the poem. This involves the
use of devices like personification and irony, among
others.
 Any kind of poem consisting of any kind of theme
becomes more meaningful when some or the other
poetic device is used to make the wordplay more
enjoyable. This process includes the use of different
poetic devices such as similes, metaphors,
allusions, among others.
 Such poetic devices also act as a guideline for
adding structural patterns to the style of writing
poetry. These devices also help to derive the form
of the poem, which might either be a sonnet or a
ballad or any other type of poetry.
Different Types of Poetic Devices
Poetic devices can be of three different types depending
on the kind of words that are being used. Each of these
poetic devices can be used for different purposes to
bring out the best in a poem. The three different types of
poetic devices are as followers:-

 Poetic Devices Based On The Sound Of

Words: Such poetic devices depend completely
upon the sounds of the words that are being used.
Some examples of this type of poetic device are
alliteration, assonance, consonance, and
cacophony, among others.
  Poetic Devices Based On The Meaning Of The
Words: Such poetic devices completely depend
upon the meanings of the words which are being
used by the poet in the poem. Some examples of
this kind of poetic device are allegory, allusion,
irony, and metaphor, among others.
 Poetic Devices Based On The Arrangements Of
The Words: Such poetic devices are related more
to the structure of the poem rather than the tone or
the style. They completely depend upon the
arrangement pattern of the words used by the poet
in the poem. Examples of these kinds of devices
are verses and rhyme schemes.

20 Poetic Devices
The list of the 20 most commonly used Poetic Devices is
here. Interested persons can check & try these
interesting poetic devices with examples in English
literature:

1. Alliteration
2. Allusion
3. Assonancer
4. Consonance
5. Irony
6. Metaphor
7. Similes
8. Ode
9. Repetition
10.Rhyme
11.Onomatopoeia
 10. Stanzas
11. Word Play
12. Calligram
13. Imagery
14. Personification
15. Refrain
16. Kenning
17. Couplets
18. Rhythm
Poetic Devices Based on the Sound of
Words

Alliteration
Alliteration is referred to the multiple repetitions of a
consonant which happens to be the first letter of multiple
words. This repetition takes place multiple times in close
syllables within the same group of words. This technique
is actually used by the poet to guide the reader’s
attention towards a single part of the text. This technique
also adds a sense of rhythm to the writing as the same
sound is repeated over and over again to represent a
particular connotation.

Examples
 Fast and Furious
 Kim’s kid kept kicking like crazy
 The woods are lovely dark, and deep
 Andrew patted the pony
 Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
 Live and let Live
Assonance
Assonance refers to the repetitive sound of a vowel that
is present in words in the same sentences. These words
might either be together or near to each other. This
poetic device basically refers to the sounds that are
accented or stressed more in a particular line. This
device is also used to focus the mind of the reader on a
particular area of the text. This device stresses more on
a particular feeling or an expression making it stand out
among other parts of a poetry.

Examples
 The cat is out of the bag
 Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite
 Winner winner chicken dinner
 Motion of the ocean
 That solitude which suits abstruser musings
 On a pound round cloud in white high night

Consonance – Consonance as a poetic device is very

similar to assonance. In assonance, the vowel sound is
repetitive, whereas, in consonance, the consonant’s
sound is repetitive. These consonants are a part of
words that are together are a part of the same whole
sentence. In this case, the syllables are known as the
consonants and are placed at the end of each word that
is being used. Like most of the other poetic devices,
which are based on sound, the purpose of consonance
is also to focus the attention on the reader in a particular
area or segment of the text.
Examples
  Boats into the past
 Cool Soul
 He struck a streak of bad luck
 When Billie looked at the trailer, she smiled and
laughed
Cacophony – Cacophony is a very interesting poetic
device that is known to create a state of chaos or a
sense of unpleasantness in the mind of the readers. It
refers to the use of an unmusical series of weird and
unpleasant sounds, which actually stands for a disorder
or discomfort. This type of poetic device is usually used
by the poet to bring about the essence of discomfort or a
discordant situation in the minds of the readers. This
technique works in such a way that it actually creates a
sense of unpleasantness in the reader’s mind. The most
important part of using this technique is to use the
correct kind of words.
Examples:
 “I detest war because the cause of war is always
trivial.”
 “Where spouting pillars spoor the evening sky.”
 “Of dynamos, where hearing’s leash is strummed…”
Euphony – The word euphony has been derived from
the Greek word called euphonious, which in normal
terms means sweet voice. Thus euphony is a poetic
device that is usually used to bring about a very sweet
and melodious sound effect to the style of writing. This
device tends to give a pleasing and soothing effect to
the readers by using repetitive sounds of vowels and
smooth consonants. Most of the time this poetic device
is used with other poetic devices like rhyme, assonance
or alliteration to create a better and more soothing effect
on the writing style. This device is also known to bring
about a peaceful and pleasant feel in any piece of
literary work and convey the expression or message
more efficiently.
Examples:
 Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness.
 Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
 Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er
succeed.
 Courage!’ he said, and pointed towards the land,
 ‘This mounting wave will roll us shoreward soon.’
Rhyme – Rhyme is an interesting and fun technique that
refers to the use of words which has similar sound
effects at the end of each sentence. This technique is
known to bring about a sense of musicality to the
poems. The use of this poetic device is known to
differentiate poetry from prose and is known to create a
pleasing effect in the poem. Rhyming sentences actually
makes it easier for people to learn the poems swiftly and
makes the poems much more fun and enjoyable.
Examples

 Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

 Baa Baa black sheep, have you any wool?

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!

 Mary had a little lamb its fleece was white as snow;

And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to
go.
Poetic Devices Based on the Meanings of
Words
Allegory – Allegory is a very effective poetic device that
actually represents the abstract ideas that the poet
wants to put forward in the form of characters, events,
and figures. This particular device is not restricted to
poetry but can be used in any part of prose as well.
Allegory’s fundamental work is to narrate a story or
express the essence of the plot. In the case of poetry, it
helps to narrate the idea on which the entire plot is
based. Most of the time, the primary idea behind using
an allegory to put forward a moral lesson.
Examples:-
 The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
 The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
Allusion – Allusion primarily refers to indirect references
made in a piece of literary work. These references might
include a reference to a particular place, person, or idea.
These ideas might be either political or historical, and
cultural. An allusion is known to be a very brief reference
and does not discuss anything with proper details. It
might be compared to a passing comment; it touches
the idea but does not explain it. When such allusions are
used, the reader is expected to understand the idea with
the knowledge they have.
Examples:
 “Don’t act like a Romeo in front of her.” – Here the
word “Romeo” is a reference to one of
Shakespeare’s famous characters from Romeo and
Juliet. The reader is expected to know and
understand this fact without any explanation. Here
 “Romeo” also refers to a compassionate lover as it
was in Shakespeare’s work.
 “This place is like a garden of Eden.” Here the
garden of Eden refers to the garden of God in
Genesis. The reader is again expected to know and
understand this fact without any explanation.
Irony – Irony is a very interesting poetic device that is
used to represent a contradictory situation. Such kinds
of situations are expected to end in one manner but
actually ends up in some other manner. Irony is known
to make the difference between reality and appearance
clearer to the readers. An Irony is used to bring about a
more defined style of writing in the poem which in turn
further develops the reader’s interest. The use of this
poetic device intrigues the reader’s mind and compels
them to imagine and assume the hidden meaning.
Example:-
 Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.

Metaphor – A Metaphor primarily refers to a comparison

in between two very unlikely things. This device is used
to bring about the resemblance between two things that
are known to be completely different from each other.
However, the comparison stated in such cases is
absolutely direct and is not hidden, and does not need to
be assumed. But such comparisons are very different
from a simile.
Examples:
 If music be the food of love, play on.
  Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with
them.
 Time is a drug. Too much of it kills you.
 Hope is the thing with feathers.
Oxymoron – Oxymoron basically refers to the use of
two contradictory ideas which are put together one
beside the other or as a part of a sentence to create an
interesting effect. These types of devices make the
writing more interesting and engaging.
Examples:
 Good night, good night! parting is such sweet
sorrow,
 That I shall say good night till it be morrow.
 Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Personification – Personification is another very

interesting poetic device that is used to give an animal,
an idea or a particular thing a human-like characteristic.
When any non-human object is defined as a human
being, the entire concept is referred to as
personification. This device makes any writing very
impactful and interesting.
Examples:
 The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.
 The run-down house appeared depressed.
 The first rays of morning tiptoed through the
meadow.
 She did not realize that opportunity was knocking at
her door.
  He did not realize that his last chance was walking
out the door.
 The bees played hide and seek with the flowers as
they buzzed from one to another.
Simile – A simile refers to different types of direct
comparisons which are made in literary texts. It puts
forward the difference between two things that have no
similarity with each other. Words like “like” or “as” are
used to draw comparisons.
Examples:
 During the house fire, my Dad was as brave as a
lion.
 Sunday is a cleaning day. By the time we’re done,
the house is as clean as a whistle.
 That teacher was as dull as dishwater.
 I think my grandfather is as old as these hills!
 This house of cards is as sturdy as an oak.
 My best friend sings like an angel.
 After I received that “A” on my spelling test, I
thought I might soar like an eagle.
 Gah! Her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard!
 In our eighth-grade pageant, we shone like stars.
Poetic Devices Based on Arrangements of
Words
These types of poetic devices can be divided into two
types. The first type is verse. Verse stands for either a
single line of a poem or a specific paragraph, or a
stanza. The verse can be further divided into two types,
namely free verse and blank verse. A free verse refers
to a style of writing that does not have a set manner.
The lines in such verses are not rhythmic or rhyming.
Whereas a blank verse also does not offer any rhyming
pattern but has the use of iambic pentameter.

A Rhyme Scheme is known to add a rhyming effect to a

poem by utilization of words that almost sound similar.
When this device is added to poetry, it sounds more
musical and rhythmic. There are many different types of
verses that can be used. Some of them are alternate
rhyme, ballade, monorhyme, couplet, triplet, enclosed
rhyme, terza rima rhyme scheme, limerick and villanelle,
and Keats odes rhyme scheme.