Poetical devices

Are like spices;

Tough tools,

Tender taste.

In a world of shouting

The whisper draws the attention.

Every writer makes hor readers a promise: "I will inform you and entertain you. I don't know your taste, and it's impossible to write something everyone likes, but I'll do everything I can to write something I like, and I hope you'll like it too."

When the student tells the teacher: "I've done everything I can, and this is the result.", a proper teacher answers: "Let me show you some new tricks, techniques, talents and toys. You can try them out and see for yourself if your result improves."

A skilled teacher doesn't judge or punish, but inspires and invites to learn, encourages making mistakes, stimulates to write like shit and laugh about it. Excellent teachers make it fun to learn new skills. "The greatest teacher failure is.", said Master Yoda, the greatest teacher in the universe. Drill-sergeants dictate rules and check if their soldiers followed the orders; they know NOTHING about art or creativity.

Therefore, we provide here a list of rules and order you to use them in your writing. The lesson is: taste the effect. Find out if you like stylistic devices, or if they annoy you and put the spotlight on the wrong details.

Figures of speech have a reason. Many of them are like candidates before election day, drawing the attention to themselves and/or to what they say. Tools like rhyme and rhythm help us remember the exact words. Like punctuation marks, stylistic devices can add music to a written text, by changing the speed, cooling the heat, running feet, wanna meet, and cheat... Figures of speech can turn words into images, create emotions, prepare the audience for the upcoming surprise, or pump up the suspense to a point where it's impossible to close the book.

You won't know what you can do with your toolbox (26 letters, 10 numbers and a handful of punctuation marks) until you've played with everything.

Play!

Have FUN!

That's an order, Soldier!

AtteeeenTION!

Present... PEN!

Write, write, write, write, write...

On the double!

An Acrostic is a poem in which the first letters of each line form a word, a sentence or, most typically, a name.

In Appendix A: «Literary, the Highly Educational Linguistic Levels make reading literature a HELL of a job.»

6.2 - «This Word» is an acrostic.

An Acronym is an abbreviation, formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word (e.g. ASCII, NASA).

1.3 - «The Painter's Secret Inspiration»

An Accumulation is a list, an enumeration.

1.1 - «Precious Poetry» is a list of excuses for not writing poetry.

6.4 - «The Wisdom and the Witchcraft» is a checklist with all the elements of a poem (or a novel, or a short story)

When the list shows increasing intensity or importance, it's an Amplification or a Climax.

«He was good, better, best at sports but bad, worse, worst at maths.»

4.7 - «Novelty» starts with three lines of growing importance.

When the list loses force or importance, we call it an Anticlimax.

In 7.5 - «The Sad Goodbye of Good Ideas», the twenty thoughts become one note, ten notes become one draft etc. until there's nothing left.

An Anachronism is an error in the chronology or timeline of a text. This could be a character who appears in a different time period than when he actually lived, or a technology that appears before it was invented. Intentional anachronisms often cause a comedic effect.

"Hi, dude. I'm Julius Caesar, Emperor of Rome, from Before Christ."

In 6.1 - «Classic's Class», Jalal ad-Din Rumi (13th century) is not in any chart (a 20th century phenomenon).

An Antithesis is a connection between two opposites. The effect is contrast. Imagine a beautiful woman among other competitors for the Miss Universe title, or the same woman among a band of beggars.

4.3 - «Artistic» shows the freedom and happiness of the birds, compared with the suffering poet in the dungeon.

When a country has nothing but plenty to flee from,

You escape in a bathtub to the land of freedom.

You're not welcome up there.

They have nothing to share

But aggression and greed, if you need some.

A Chiasmus is a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order. The name comes from the Greek letter X.

Don't eat to live, but live to eat.

"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." — John F. Kennedy.

4.1 - «Conflict»: Lunch time ... isn't time for lunch / Happy hour ... no hour to be happy.

It's also a strong narrative technique to add structure to essays and stories, helping the reader remember the original thesis or the start of the novel when she reaches the final scene.

Poem 5.5 - «Origin of the Species» starts with four paragraphs in which we turn "what everyone does" around into reasons to be original. The fifth paragraph summarises these reasons, to conclude that this attempt to be original is exactly what everyone does.

Cliché

An overused expression, once perhaps original but now predictable and no longer effective.

She looks like a million bucks.

It's the job of a writer to be creative, come up with something surprising. According to 5.5 - «Origin of the Species», that's hardly original.

In 7.4 - «The War of the Words and the Worth», it says: «There is no 1 in team». The cliché «There is no I in team» was original when someone invented it, but it's used so much that it no longer surprises.

A cliché is often a metaphor that lost the power of showing the image to our imagination. «The foot of the mountain» doesn't make us think any more about a human foot that has a similar form as the lower part of a mountain. This type of cliché is called a petrified expression, a commonplace synonym or, like the foot of the mountain, even the only word or description of a phenomenon. The Industry advises to avoid clichés but doesn't object to petrified expressions.

Stereotypes are cliché characters, like a boring accountant, a pretty-but-silly blonde and a brute drill-sergeant.

When someone only delivers a package and has no further part in the story, a stereotype is no problem. Side-kick characters, like the Mentor, the Friend and the Rival, usually benefit from one or more unpredictable elements in character or presentation. Stereotyping the Main Character(s) and the Antagonist is deadly for a story.

1.6 - «Imagination» contains a stereotype white, male president.

In poetry, this is different. A poem is too short for character development. The poet uses stereotypes for illustration or contrast, often as a metaphor (like the drill sergeant above). In poetry, stereotyping is allowed, but a surprising detail might improve the effect.

In «Precious Poetry», The Editor is a strong woman.

A variation of the cliché is the Snow-Clone, in which we take a (cliché) well-known phrase and change a word.

The only good lawyer is a dead lawyer.

In 6.1 - «Classic's Class», Shakespeare teaches us «To write or not to write», that's the question.

Contradiction in the terms

An adjective that contradicts with its noun, like a rectangular circle. It's not automatically an error.

Imagine a round square, or red snow.

How about well-playing Chelsea, an honest politician or an understandable poet...

Step 3. When: «Either keep dreaming or make your dreams come true.»

Euphemism

The substitution of a more mild, pleasant expression in place of a direct or unpleasant word.

A home for the mentally disturbed instead of a madhouse.

In 2.7 - «A Game of Chess», «black-outs» is a euphemism for racist laws.

Dysphemism is the opposite, the substitution of a neutral or pleasant word by an uglier or even vulgar word.

An old fart instead of an elderly person.

In 7.1 - «Final Question», we call the doping control a «pissing contest».

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement that the reader shouldn't take literally. We often use it for comedic effect and/or emphasis.

It's been ages since I read a book.

7.2 - «That Feeling»: not all the trouble in the world can make it go away.

Malapropism

An incorrect word instead of a word with a similar sound, often for humorous effect.

"I've learnt to dance the flamingo!" The flamenco is a type of dance; the flamingo is a bird.

3.2 - «Mobile Phones, Static People»: its face books speak... refers to Facebook pages that tell the world everything nobody wants to know.

5.2 - «Doubts»: My pen cuts my vain and dips in my blood. The spell checker wanted to correct this vain into a vein, but the image of a pen full of doubt, cutting the pride of the poet, was more beautiful. Did this 'error' draw your attention? That's what figures of speech are for.

A Metaphor is a comparison in which a model represents the original thing (directly, without «like» or «as»). The model often refers to the senses of image, sound, taste, tact/feel or smell, and limits the comparison to that one 'sensed' element it has in common with the original.

Step 1. Why: «Poetry is a roller-coaster of emotions» (image of movement, feel) shows how emotions go up and down in a short time.

1.2 - «Letter to Tracy»: the paper plane represents a poem that might become a way out of the situation.

A Personification is a Metaphor that gives an abstract object a visible or familiar image of a person, with human-like qualities or characteristics. It helps the reader create a clear mental picture of the scene or object.

The Old Year sneaks out through the back door while the New Year enters with a glorious bang.

Step 2. Where: blank pages that scream to be filled...

2.7 - «A Game of Chess» shows how pieces on a chessboard become white and black people in a country where white always starts.

When the original and the model are connected with «as» or «like», we call the metaphor a Simile.

I'm hungry as a lion.

"This bread tastes like camel shit." - "How do you know what camel shit tastes like?"

2.6 - «Hell's Bells»: flames that smell like piss.

Both create an effect of clarity or emphasis.

A Metonym is when a symbol replaces the actual thing to which it refers.

In 1839, Edward Bulwer-Lytton stated: "The pen is mightier than the sword.", which contains two examples of metonymy: «the pen» refers to the written word, and «the sword» refers to military force or violence.

In 3.2 - «Mobile Phones, Static Folks», the word «it» refers to a human being that behaves like a robot or a thing.

An Onomatopoeia is a word that represents a sound, as a mimicry of what that sound actually sounds like.

He pulled the trigger: Bang! Bang! Bang!

The onomatopoeia often becomes a verb or a noun.

The news buzzed through the beehive.

First, we create a buzz, and then we start our advertisement campaign.

3.4 - «The Worry and the Worse»: Poof! / Splash! / Wham!

An Oxymoron is a combination of two opposite words

Deafening silence, organised chaos, cruelly kind, insanely logical, etc.

3.6 - «End of an Epic Era»: the «concrete jungle» is the city. This is also a cliché.

A Paradox is a statement that appears illogical or self-contradictory but, upon investigation, might actually be true or plausible.

The more I study, the less I know.

In Step 1. Why, it says: "Being intolerant against intolerance", which is perfectly logic, as intolerance is the opposite of respect; we can't tolerate people who don't respect others.

2.3 - «Utopia». Utopia is a perfect imaginary place. Ruling there would make anyone feel like a God, except the poet, who says: "I've other things to do.", which makes this fictional Utopia seem insignificant, compared with the importance of creating heaven on earth by writing poetry. But when we finish the entire story, we might find out...

A paradox is an entire phrase or sentence, whereas an oxymoron is a combination of just two words.

Parallelism

Repetition of similar grammar structure, sounds and rhythm, often with opposites. Parallelism makes text more important, and it adds rhythm and balance.

1.6 - «Imagination»

The centre part of 2.4 - «The Walk and the Wire»

That old joke is so tasteless. I know 'm.

You don't know how to tell. Rather show 'm.

Add some terror and slice,

Some excitement and spice.

Turn it into an EdgarAllanPoem.

Portmanteau

A word, blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others.

Brunch (= breakfast + lunch).

In Step 5. Who, you find the words «hor» (him-or-her) and «horself» (him-or-herself), and also the word «shero» (a female hero). All three are portmanteau words for inclusive language. When the world changes (better: when the people get new insight about how to improve their flaws), the new ideas need new words to travel from one person to another.

Pun

A wordplay, using multiple meanings or similar sounds (to make a joke).

3.7 - «Imperfections Are Perfect»: «You're Barbie, I'm Ken't» gives a double meaning to the name of Barbie's perfect boyfriend Ken (can't).

5.4 - «The Wizard and the Workout»: «the dwarf became Happy» refers to one of Snow White's seven employers.

6.2 - «This Word» makes fun of pun: «No count-ry for a Duke» refers to the film «No Country for Old Men» with the hidden message that «noble» is a forgotten thing of the past, like Brussels sprouts don't grow in Brussels any more.

7.4 - «The War of the Words and the Worth»: finances lacked; they had nothing but the capital of France...

Punchline

The final (surprising, funny) part of a joke. Usually: the shorter, the better.

It's yellow, and when you get it in your eye, you die. A school bus.

In 5.3 - «Dear G.O.D.», the last line «you no longer work there» suddenly makes the Superior Being look like a simple employee who refuses to take responsibility for all His exceptional gifts.

The last line of 7.3 - «Generosity» is a punchline.

Repetition

Many professionals consider the repetition of words or phrases a Rhetorical Error. The writer should use a synonym on the second occasion.

You're an animal. Only animals act like this <=>
You're an animal. Only beasts act like this.

In speeches, we use Repetition for emphasis. In poetry, we use it for rhythm and rhyme.

3.5 - «Don't Look for Excuses; Look for Solutions» has two blocks of each four lines that start with the same short sentence. «When can I write?» «I have no time.» It refers to the repeated excuses we invent when we don't want to explain the real reason: I have other priorities. The poem is a sonnet, with the structure «problem - midpoint - solution».

First, they stole all our freedom, made us slaves on a chain.

Now, white lies and white money, same old story again.

Take the land from the dumb ass,

Make him work for his own grass,

So the poor mass gets poorer, and the wise guys insane.

A Synecdoche is a literary device in which part of something represents the whole, or vice versa. It's colourful language, it avoids using constantly the same words, and it's often less wordy than a description.

The citizens demanded more uniforms on the street.

"Belgium beat Germany in the final." is shorter than "The Belgian national football team beat the German national football team in the final game of the tournament."

2.5 - «Why»: Two coffees on the square. Nice legs walk by, a pair.

Tautology

Using words or similar phrases to repeat the same idea effectively with different wording (for emphasis). A tautology can easily cause a negative effect or even an error: a round circle.

We share something in common: we either share it or we have it in common.

2.4 - «The Walk and the Wire»: If I get lost in hopes and dreams => what we dream of is the same as what we hope for.

A nice tautology is "I feel shit called guano" in 3.7 - «Imperfections Are Perfect». Guano is a highly valuated fertiliser, while the synonym Shit expresses the lowest value.

Tom Swifty

Victor Appleton, writer of a series of stories about Tom Swift, used to add a funny adjective to the tag of a line of dialogue.

"The weather for next week: rain, storm and showers.", the weatherman said, dryly.

Step 1. Why: Stephen King answered, picky: "Do you think I have a choice?"

An Understatement is when we describe something smaller or less important than it really is. The effect might be ironic. An understatement is often used to show the opposite or draw the attention.

Hitler was a bad boy.

In Step 7. Wow, it says: «Writing is fun». This is, of course, an understatement. Ronaldo Siète described it better when he said: "Writing a novel of fiction feels like an orgasm that lasts three months, and then I start with the next book."

A Litotes is a deliberate understatement, often using double negatives to deny the opposite. It makes the expression softer and less direct.

She's not the most beautiful woman in the neighbourhood.

2.4 - «The Walk and the Wire»: I won't say that I'm sorry.