Literal language uses words in their plain, exact sense, without metaphor, exaggeration, or hidden symbolic meaning. In poetry, it often appears in direct description or statement, where the reader is meant to understand the words at face value rather than search for figurative meaning.
Poets may use literal language to ground a poem in reality, make a moment feel immediate, or create contrast with surrounding figurative lines.
Example
The kettle clicked on the stove.
Rain tapped the window at noon.
I carried the blue umbrella home.