Five Characteristics Of Poetry

* Some poems use rhyming words to create a certain effect. * Not all poems are rhyming. Poetry that does not rhyme is called "free verse poetry."

* Sometimes poets use repetition of sounds or patterns to create a musical effect in their poems. *Rhythm can be created by using the same number of words or syllables in each line of a poem. * Rhythm can be described as the beat of the poem.

* Figurative language is often found in poetry. The following types of figurative language are often seen in poems. ' Simile - Compares two things using "like" or "as." ^ The girl is like a tornado on the basketball court. ' Metaphor - Comparing two things by saying one thing actually is another thing. ^ The girl is a tornado on the basketball court. ' Personification - Giving human characteristics to a non-living thing. ^ The autumn leaves danced across the street.

* You can tell you are reading a poem based on the way it looks. A book of poems looks different from a regular novel. * Poems are written in stanzas. Stanzas are groups of lines within a poem that are similar in rhyme, rhythm, or style. Often, there is a break between stanzas.

* The mood of a poem is the feeling that it has. A poem can be sad, gloomy, humorous, happy, etc.