How to Read a Poem: Poetic Glossary

These terms will help you describe what you find within your poem. Some poems have all these qualities, some have only a few. Some good prose will also have some of these elements, but poetry is more like a wound-up spring, as a lot of meaning is compressed into many fewer words, often because these poetic devices are emotionally affective. One more reason to read poetry aloud!

1. Meter -A term describing both the number of syllables and the stress (accentual) pattern of the given phrase or line.

2. Feet - Units of metric description, described by stress patterns. Commonest feet are:

iambic (short-long) as in "decide"

trochaic (long-short) as in "birthday"

anapestic (short-short-long) as in "condescend"

dactylic (long-short-short) as in "celebrate"

spondaic (long-long) as in "farewell"

3. Scansion - A system of describing the rhythm of language by indicating patterns of accented and unaccented syllables.

Example: All' around' the mul'berry bush'

4. Rhyme - Quality that comes from the repetition of sounds.

Example: How now, brown cow

5. Alliteration - Quality that comes from beginning words with the same consonant.

Examples: " Home came he with heavy heart" or "Full fathom five thy father lies ... "

6. Assonance - Quality that comes from words having the same vowels/ vowel sounds.

Examples:

     A thousand crowns make heavy sounds.

     Full fathom five thy father lies ...    (Shakespeare's work is so rich in sound)

7. Consonance - Quality that comes from words having the same or similar internal consonant sounds.

Example: The craft of laughter ever after.