In poetry, literary devices are called poetic devices. At its most basic, it is a deliberate use of words, phrases, and sounds to convey meaning. The following list (not alphabetical) of poetic devices is commonly employed to lend contrast to poetry.
A Wild Iris juxtaposed with Wild Horses, by Suzette Richards. Image generated 18 January 2024.
Objective versus Subjective
Objective poetry is impersonal and subjective poetry is personal. In the former the focus of attention is something that is outward; in the latter, it is on the poet himself, his mind centered on his thoughts and feelings. An example of this can be found in the poetic form jueju. The key feature of a jueju is the merger of the external world of nature and the human world of emotion.
Twist
A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist or surprise ending. It may change the audience's perception of the preceding events, or introduce a new conflict that places it in a different context. A plot twist may be foreshadowed (see below), to prepare the audience to accept it, but it usually comes with some element of surprise. This poetic device is commonly found in, for example, Limerick and Sijo.
Volta/turn
This is different from the twist. In poetry, a volta, meaning ‘turn’, is a turn or transition in a sonnet’s main argument, theme, or tone. The volta separates one part of the poem from the next and can be characterized by a change in opinion or even a shift from one speaker to the next. In some cases, it supplies a conclusion, an answer, or an explanation of the first part of the poem. The volta is connected to sonnet writing, specifically traditional sonnets like Petrarchan, Shakespearean, and Miltonic sonnets.
Pivot
The pivot is a tilting or shifting in the mainline of thought, a change of meaning or direction. It is less severe than the volta/turn. Unlike the volta where only one per sonnet is used, the pivot (single or multiple) may appear anywhere in a poem. A pivotal image is a poetic device often employed in tanka, usually at line three of this five-line poetic form. This or other poetic devices are used to mark a transition between the two phrases in tanka poetry. It was developed by Edmund Spenser. A Spenserian sonnet does not appear to require that the initial octave set up a problem that the closing sestet answers, as with a Petrarchan sonnet.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is when an author hints at the outcome of a scene or a significant point in a plot line that will come to bear later on in the story. It is a valuable literary device for any poet to employ; he, ultimately, possesses the foresight of the desired effect he wishes to achieve. The poet’s choice of words is important as it sets the tone of the poem; the sequence of prominently placed words, i.e. the motif, subconsciously influences the reader.
MacGuffin
A useful literary device, a MacGuffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. It’s the exact opposite of foreshadowing. It is sometimes necessary for the plot and characters of a story/poem, for example, by way of the title, but it serves no greater purpose for the storyline itself.
Enjambment
The enjambment is also referred to as a ‘run-on line’. It is the continuation of one line in poetry, into the next line. It is often employed in lengthy poems where one line of thought runs over into the next line in the poem. It is often used in couplets where a single thought/point is expressed. It is not usual to use enjambment between two sets of couplets, but it is not ruled out.
Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is often used to create a contrast in a poem. Juxtaposition is an act or instance, of placing two elements close together or side by side. This is often done to compare/contrast the two, to show similarities or differences, etc. This is a common poetic device found in the composition of haiku and imagism.
Zeugma & Syllepis [Edit – 17 February 2024]
Zeugma is s construction in which one word or phrase is understood to fill a parallel syntax role in two or more clauses or phrases, as with the verb was in: She was upstairs and her husband downstairs.
Syllepis (also known as zeugma) is a figure of speech in which a single word is used to modify two or more words in a sentence, but the meaning of that word is different in relation to each of the other words. It is grammatically correct but creates its effect by exploiting multiple shades of meaning in a single word or phrase. Example: He took his hat and his leave. This poetic device is often employed in the third line of tanka poetry.