500 Poetic Devices: Definitions and Examples | Complete Guide to Poetry

500 Poetic Devices Definitions, meanings, how to use them, and examples — complete guide to poetry techniques and terms. Search any device instantly. 0 shown · 0 total · click any card to expand A. Figures of Speech and Figurative Language 60 devices Metaphor device Definition A direct comparison stating one thing is another, transferring qualities without “like” or “as.” How to use it Fuse two ideas into one powerful image; make the abstract concrete. Example “All the world’s a stage, / And all the men and women merely players.” — Shakespeare Study More Extended metaphor device Definition A metaphor sustained across multiple lines, stanzas, or an entire poem. How to use it Develop a complex web of associations while keeping the central image consistent. Example Dickinson’s “Hope is the thing with feathers” carries the bird image through the whole poem. Implied metaphor device Definition A metaphor that does not explicitly state the comparison; the reader infers the link. How to use it Create subtlety and invit…