Literature 101: Poetry and Its Elements

A book and a moon lamp

Have you ever find poetry comforting? Do you have great interest on reading literary works written with the smallest number of words but with the strongest meaning? Poetry definitely goes beyond what is expected of it. This form of literature has been offering readers with relatable, inspiring, and touching words making everyone more motivated and understood.

Poems convey different meanings and talk about different essential things in life. As a result, they impact the lives of many through their ambiguous and aesthetic words and affective and heartwarming messages. Poetry in Motion Quattlebaum book, for example, is a contemporary poetry book by author Raymond Quattlebaum that revolves around life and everything in between. As you try reading the poems, you may think of how vague their scope are, but you can definitely see the meaning if you look more closely.

Moreover, with all the amazing things that poetry has offered, what could be the elements that make a remarkable poem? If the thought ever crossed your mind, then here are the things that you need to know.

Persona

You probably have heard this term multiple times in your English class. Persona refers to the character used by the poet to express the things that he wants to let out by utilizing the first-person point-of-view. It is also known as voice. Many readers often think that the persona of the poem is the poet; hence, this mindset must be eliminated because the writer is not always the one telling his story. You can distinguish the persona by thinking about the things that the speaker obtains from the character that he created. Looking into the poems other details objectively can also help you discover faults and information about the persona.

Tone

Tone can mean different things in diverse branches of literature. But when it comes to poetry, tone pertains to the viewpoint and behavior in writing style of the writer or the form of expression of the persona. It is also known as mood because it helps in creating the entire mood of the whole poem, in the sense of a diffusing atmosphere meant to influence the feelings of the readers and evoke expectations.

Diction

Poetic diction is defined as the operating language of a poem. The language sets the poetry apart from the different types of writing because it typically involves the utilization of descriptive words, terms, phrases, and other parts of speech that enhances the ambiguity of the poem and sometimes set the rhyme. Diction is generated by the lyrical words that often relate to a particular theme infused in the poem and frequently forms a euphonious sound.

Imagery

Imagery is a common element of a poem that adds to its beauty and depth. It is usually defined as the clear and colorful form of description that captivates the attention, attracts the senses, and generates the imagination of the readers. However, imagery doesn’t only centers on the visual aspects that a poem can offer but also focuses on the entire scale of sensory experiences, including the emotions and sensations. It also enables the readers to vividly use their senses while reading the poems and empathize with the speaker.

Figurative Language

Figurative language pertains to the utilization of words in a method that digresses from the traditional arrangement and meaning so that the work can deliver a more profound meaning, vibrant writing, clear idea, and/or poignant comparison. Furthermore, it makes use of the ordinary sentence structure to refer to a particular thing without stating it head on. There are different types of figurative language a poem can contain. These languages have their own usage and trait that can beautify and deepen a poem’s meaning and appearance. Simile, metaphor, alliteration, hyperbole, synecdoche, metonymy, and personification are among the commonly used figurative language.

Poetry is truly a rich and wonderful form of literature. Every poem has the power to evoke different kinds of emotions, inspire readers, and create a difference in the world. With the slightest amount of words, these poems — with the help of their remarkable elements, can impart such knowledge, encourage others to express, and help people utilize their empathies. From the voice to the figurative language, these elements put together truly create a magnificent whole.

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