Poetic Devices with Examples for Class 7 English Poems
Do you want to know about Important Poetic devices for Class 7 English Poems. As a lot of importance is given to the different figures of speech used in poetry, here the students can get to know and understand with the help of examples, the important poetic devices for class 7 poems.
What are Poetic Devices?
Poetic devices are literary devices used in poetry. Poetic Devices are the instruments used by poets for the purpose of making their poems interesting. They enrich the meaning and accentuate rhythmic appeal of the poem.
Poetic devices create patterns that do several things – describe, convince, inform, encourage illustration, elevate singing and enclose words in memory. Poems use significant poetic instruments which alter mood and emotion—often in subtle surprises.
When used in an intriguing way, poetic techniques can give poetry a true sense of beauty. The use of these devices leave the reader feeling absolutely fascinated, and is the best approach to portray the emotions hidden in the poem.
What do the words “anaphora,” “enjambment,” “metaphor,” and “alliteration” have in common? They are all poetic devices. Let’s have a look at some of the most commonly used poetic devices in poems of class 7.
- Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words in a series.
Example-
The rebel remarks on the need for rain.
( The Rebel by D. J. Enright )
Stand up straight
(Chivvy by Michael Rosen)
- Imagery
Imagery is a literary device used in poetry, novels, and other writing that uses vivid description that appeals to a readers’ senses to create an image or idea in their head.
Example-
“ He wore a question mark for tail,
An overcoat of gray,
He sat up straight to eat a nut.
He liked to tease and play,
And if we ran around his tree,
He went the other way
( The Squirrel by Mildred Bowers Armstrong )
The poet has given the visual description of the squirrel throughout the poem.
- Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a poetic device that uses words to describe the sounds made by all living things including people, animals, birds and all inanimate objects.
Example-
“ Once there was a talking fan —
Electrical his chatter. “
( Mystery of the Talking Fan By Maude Rubin )
The poet uses the word ‘ chatter ‘ to describe the noises made by the fan.
“There’s a shed at the bottom of our garden
With a spider’s web hanging across the door,
The hinges are rusty and creak in the wind.”
(The Shed by Frank Flynn)
- Metaphor
A metaphor is when a writer compares one thing to another.
Example-
“Meadows have surprises,
You can find them if you look;
Walk softly through the velvet grass,
And listen by the brook. “
( Meadow Surprises by Lois Brandt Phillips )
Here the poet is comparing the texture of grass to that of velvet.
- Simile
The simile, like the metaphor, offers another device for comparison. However, a simile is much more blatant and uses like or as to draw the comparison.
Example-
“ Because one day somebody oiled
His little whirling motor
And all the mystery was spoiled —
He ran as still as water.”
( Mystery of the Talking Fan By Maude Rubin )
Here the poet compares the silent running of the fan to that of still water, using “as”.
- Personification
Personification is when an inanimate object, animal or idea is given human characteristics.
Example-
“ He wore a question mark for tail,
An overcoat of gray,
He sat up straight to eat a nut.
He liked to tease and play,
And if we ran around his tree,
He went the other way.”
(The Squirrel by Mildred Bowers Armstrong)
The poet has personified the squirrel by using ‘he’ instead of ‘it’ for him.
- Anaphora
Anaphora is the repetition of words or phrases in consecutive poetic lines.
Example-
Grown-ups say things like:
Speak up
Don’t talk with your mouth full
Don’t stare
Don’t point
Don’t pick your nose
(Chivvy by Michael Rosen)
Repetition of the word ‘Don’t’ at the start of lines 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Trees are for birds.
Trees are for children.
Trees are to make tree houses in.
Trees are to swing swings on.
Trees are for the wind to blow through.
Trees are to hide behind in ‘Hide and Seek’.
Trees are to have tea parties under.
Trees are for kites to get caught in.
Trees are to make cool shade in summer.
Trees are to make no shade in winter.
Trees are for apples to grow on, and pears;
Trees are to chop down and call, “TIMBER-R-R!”
( Trees by Shirley Bauer )
Repetition of the phrases ‘Trees are for’ and ‘Trees are to’.
- Epiphora
Epiphora contains one or many repeating words at the end of consecutive poetic lines.
Example-
“When everybody wears a uniform,
The rebel dresses in fantastic clothes,
When everybody wears fantastic clothes,
The rebel dresses soberly.”
( The Rebel by D. J. Enright )
The second and third lines of this stanza are ending with the same phrase – fantastic clothes.
- Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together in a sentence or verse.
Example-
The ant’s amazing mound. prominent sound of the vowel ‘a’
(Meadow Surprises by Lois Brandt Phillips)
I’m in bed I lie and I listen. prominent sound of the vowel ‘i’
(The Shed by Frank Flynn )
- Consonance
Consonance refers to the repetition of consonant sounds in successive words, whether these sounds are placed at the word’s beginning, middle, or end.
Example-
“My brother tells lies to keep the shed for his den;
There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises -Prominent sound of the consonant ‘s’
(The Shed by Frank Flynn)