Most poems convey some central idea about life or the world, such as "In friendship, showing up matters most." If the poet gets this theme across, you may find yourself thinking about it long after you finish reading the poem.
Even when they're quite short, poems can transport readers to another time, another place, another way of being. As you've learned in this module's lessons, poets must choose words carefully to create this kind of effect. Of course, poets use other tools as well. The effect of a particular poem may depend upon how the words are arranged on the page, creative uses of parts of speech and multiple-meaning words, and carefully developed figures of speech. Before you move on to the next module, use this lesson to review the many ways a poem makes meaning.
Metaphors and similes are probably the most common forms of figurative language used in poetry. Most of the figures of speech used in poetry include vivid imagery that evokes a sensory response from readers, suggesting a specific taste, touch, smell, sound, or sight.
Poetic devices include the tools that poets use to create patterns of sound. The rhythm of words in a line, the way the ends of lines rhyme (or don't), the repetition of lines in a refrain and of letter sounds in a line make poems more interesting to read. These devices also support tone or mood of the poem.
Poets rely on certain devices, such as homonyms and allusions, to add layers of meaning to a poem. For example, leave may mean "to go away," but it can also mean "permission to do something." A line in a poem may suggest both meanings at the same time. Poets also choose words that are rich with connotation—associated meanings and emotions.
Question
Why is it important to understand how poets use language to create poetry?
When readers know these "tricks of the trade," they are more likely to grasp a poem's figurative as well as its literal meanings. Readers who understand how poetry works can more easily pick up on a poem's suggested—and not just stated—meanings.
