poetic devices: figurative language

POETIC DEVICES:FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

ENGLISH 1

MRS. FOSTER

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE THAT USES FIGURES OF SPEECH, IN WHICH TWO SEEMINGLY DIFFERENT THINGS ARE COMPARED.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

WE SUCKED AT ORANGES WE STOLE

FROM YOUR ALCOHOLIC NEIGHBORS

WHO FERMENTED IN THEIR BED

ALL DAY AND WATCHED TV.

TEXAS OIL AND CALIFORNIA LAND

MARRIED THEIR TANNED, TORPID BODIES

AND PRODUCED ONE HAND STEADY ENOUGH

TO SWITCH THE CHANNELS BY REMOTE CONTROL.

ROBERT HASS

SIMILEA COMPARISON OF TWO THINGS

USING “LIKE” OR “AS”

METAPHORA DIRECT COMPARISON OF TWO THINGS,

WITHOUT USING “LIKE” OR “AS”

SIMILES & METAPHORSWE LIVE ON THE ROOF OF HELL, HE SAYS,AND AHMED BELIEVES IT, HE’S WATCHED THE GAS

FLARESRISE FROM HOLES IN THE EARTH, HE’S SEEN THE

BLACK RIVERWASH THROUGH THE VILLAGE IN A FLOOD OF OILAS IF THE DRILLERS HAD STRUCK A VEINDEEP IN THE SKULL OF GOD, AND THE OLD MAN SAYSBOY, YOU MUST LEARN HOW TO LIVE HERE – WHERE THE DEAD ARE BURIED DEEP IN THE MINDOF GOD, MANIFEST IN MAN AND WOMAN,GIVEN TO EARTH IN DARK BLOOD,GIVEN TO EARTH IN FIRE.

BRIAN TURNER

PERSONIFICATIONGIVING HUMAN QUALITIES TO NON-

HUMAN OBJECTS OR IDEAS.

PERSONIFICATION

THESE FEET WRITE HISTORY ON THE DIRT ROAD

AND NO ONE READS IT

NAOMI SHIHAB NYE

SYMBOLAN OBJECT THAT REPRESENTS A

LARGER CONCEPT OR IDEA.

SYMBOLEACH TIME YOU GO THROUGH THISYOU LOSE A LITTLE LESS COLOR

THE WATER IS LESSPINK, BLUE, OR GRAY

THIS IS WHAT I TRY TO SAY:DON’T LET THEM WRING IT OUT OF YOU

BECAUSE THEY LIKE STARCH,DON’T LET THAT APPLY TO YOUR NECK

SYMBOLYOU ARE REAL, 100% COTTON,YOU CAN WRINKLE, ACCEPT THAT AS A GIFT

AND ACCEPT THESE RINSES,THEY ARE TEDIOUS

THEY WILL COMEAGAIN AND AGAIN

AFTER AWHILE, YOU WILL HAVENOTHING MORE THEY CAN TAKE

NAOMI SHIHAB NYE

REPETITIONTHE USE OF A WORD OR PHRASE OVER AND OVER WITHIN A POEM.

REPETITIONBENNY’S HANDSOME, RED-BROWN LIKE RUST ON A HOE.

EMPTYHEADED COWS LOLL IN THE PASTURE IGNORING THE

MULE’S BRAY.LIGHT SHINES AS EASILY THROUGH A CICADA’S HUSK

CLINGING TO A TREE

AS THROUGH A BOTTLE OF LINIMENT OR A GLASS OF TEAON THE DINNER TABLE. THE HEMS OF HIS OVERALLS FRAYAND TICKLE BENNY’S SKIN AS HE PLOWS. EMPTY

PROMISES FROM A BROTHER, EMPTIED SIMPLY,WITHOUT VIOLATION, FRIABLE AS LEAVES UNDERFOOT ON A

FALL DAY,TRANSLUCENT AS A CICADA’S HUSK CLINGING TO A TREE.

SEAN HILL

ACTIVITY

• DESCRIBE YOUR BEST FRIEND USING THREE DIFFERENT FIGURES OF SPEECH:

• SIMILE

• METAPHOR

• PERSONIFICATION