The Elements of Poetry: Explained
Poetry writing becomes much easier when you know all the elements!
It’s come to my attention that one of the biggest barriers to poetry writing for many people is the lack of understanding of the elements of poetry. There are quite a few of them, so I understand how it can be overwhelming, which is why I figured I would put together a reference post both for me and for everyone else so we don’t have to rely solely on memory.
In this post, I’m going to introduce 13 different poetry elements. That sounds like a lot, but there are plenty on this list that I promise you already know. I’ll begin with the most commonly unknown ones so you don’t have to go digging for what you need. And I’ll provide an example of a poem that uses that certain poetry element effectively so you can see the practical application.
Meter
A poem’s meter is a pattern of beats in a line of poetry. It is a combination of the number of beats and the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line.
The difference between a stressed and an unstressed syllable is simply the sound; stressed syllables are pronounced louder or with more emphasis than others. Because people pronounce things differently, they can be difficult to identify at times; but the more poetry you read, the easier it is to discern stressed syllables from unstressed ones.
There are many different types of meters, some of the most common being iamb, iambic pentameter, dactyl, spondee, and trochee.
Example: Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day,” is a great introductory example to iambic pentameter (one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable), one of the most common meters found in poetry. Give it a read and see if you can hear the da-DUM sound in his language.
Rhythm
Rhythm and meter work very closely together. Rhythm is the beat and pace of a poem, largely determined by ear alone, and has to do with tempo and structure. The meter is the way that rhythm is repeated.
Along with stressed and unstressed syllables, line breaks, repetition, and spacing can also help create rhythm. The rhythm is what makes poetry sound musical.
Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s “Alone” is a great example of rhythm–if you read a poem and find yourself subconsciously using a sing-songy voice when you read it, its rhythm is strong.
Tone
Tone is much easier to identify–often described as the “mood” you feel upon reading the poem, the tone is the element of poetry that conveys the poet’s attitude toward the topic of the poem.
Poetry aspects that contribute to the tone of a poem are word choice, meter, imagery, dialogue, sonics, structure, etc.
Example: Storm Fear by Robert Frost is a short but not so sweet example of an impeccable use of tone. The best part about it is that its title is very telling.
Rhyme
Rhyme is the repetition of syllables, typically at the end of a line. That being said, rhyme can also exist in the middle or beginning of lines, and isn’t always an exact sound match. For example, we know the words “are” and “star” rhyme, but rhyme is also when two words look the same or have similar sounds, like “blade” and “head” which are called slant rhymes.
Example: While Emily Dickinson’s “Hope Is a Thing With Feathers” has a lot of pure rhymes, you’ll also notice that she makes a slant rhyme with the words “soul” and “all” in the first stanza.
Syntax
Syntax is another element of poetry that contributes to its overall sound. Specifically, it refers to the arrangement of language and order of words used to convey what the poem is trying to convey. It sounds more convoluted than it is–but things like word choice and the order in which your poem includes words and ideas is crucial to its rhythm.
Syntax plays a large part in separating poetry from prose. Poetry critics will argue that poets take eight lines to say something that could’ve been said plainly in two…and that’s how you know the syntax is strong.
Example: The Powerline Incantation by Les Murray is a great introduction; its first stanza already catches you in the midst of some great syntax.
Assonance
Assonance is another poetry element that has to do with sound (you’re seeing how important sound and musicality is now, right?) It’s simply the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together in a sentence or verse.
Example: William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 1 “From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase” is a great example of assonance–but the fun part about assonance is that it’s also found in lots of rap music. “Lose Yourself” by Eminem employs the use of assonance as well. Can you identify it when you rap along?
Alliteration
Alliteration occurs when three or more subsequent words begin with the same letter or sound. Many poets alter this a little bit and still call it alliteration if the words are close together enough.
Example: Herman Melville’s “The Berg” has a perfect example of alliteration in the last stanza…I bet you can find it real quick.
Form
It can be easy to think of poetry form as the same thing as a poetry genre ( a haiku, ode, sonnet, etc.) but I want to break it down a little bit more. At its core, poetry form is the physical structure of a poem: line length, rhythm, the poem’s specific rhyme or repetition, etc.
Example: If you want to learn about all the forms of poetry, reference my post with each form and their defining characteristics here or how to write within each structure here.
Structure
Structure and form are often confused. Think of form more as the genre and even the template, and structure as the way a poem is organized and the relationship between its different poetry elements. Structure is a bit more personal and experimental than form, and has to do with the number of stanzas, the lines per stanza, the breaks in between lines and stanzas, and etc.
Example: “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou is an example of a poem with good structure. As you’re reading, take a look at where she chooses to begin and end her stanzas, and consider how it adds to the overall tone and message.
Symbolism
Symbolism is the use of words or imagery to symbolize specific themes. Essentially, symbolism is when you convey your ideas without stating them outright, and they often rely on metaphors.
Example: Langston Hughes’ “Dreams” is a delightful example of symbolism.
Imagery
Imagery is a crucial poetry element. It’s the author’s use of descriptive and vivid language, appealing to the senses to create an almost immersive experience for the reader.
Example: “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath provides some great examples of imagery from beginning to end.
Figurative Language
Figurative language is part of the reason poets are labeled as being brooding and over-emotional. It’s simply referring to language indirectly or abstractly as opposed to literally. It often does this by comparing two things in a symbolic way to cultivate a deeper understanding. Idioms, metaphors, similes, and hyperboles are great examples of figurative language.
Example: Perhaps the most classic example of effective figurative language is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.”
Enjambment
You probably see enjambment a lot without knowing it has a name. Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence from one line to the next across a line break without punctuation.
Example: “Between Walls” by William Carlos Williams is written entirely in enjambed lines.