Today, we bring you a new addition to the “Penning Poetry” series, and in this instalment we are regretfully dragging you back to your ink-stained, chewing gum magnet of a secondary school desk to revise something that you may not have thought about since your English teacher scrawled it in front of you with an excruciatingly squeaky whiteboard pen; rhetorical devices.

What is a rhetorical device? Put simply, it’s a method of using language used by an author (or a speaker) to evoke a reaction from the audience, and also to add a new dimension to the writing itself. There are many kinds of rhetorical devices; alliteration, sibilance, amplification, metaphor, similie, the list goes on. All are prevalent in literature, and especially in poetry. Let’s examine some of them to see how we can implement them in our writing.

Alliteration: Alliteration refers to the use of words in succession that all share the same or similar initial consonant sounds or letters. An example of this might be; “The sky was a brilliant burst of blue”. The string of words beginning with “B” help to create emphasis on the phrase, drawing the reader’s attention to the description and thus making it more visual.

Amplification: Tying in with alliteration, amplification refers to the repetition of the same word, often alongside an adjective to further emphasise its importance. For example, the phrase; “Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.” Repetition of words can create a sense of tension, drama, or draw attention to the relevance of a specific word to the context or overall theme of the poem or piece of writing.

Hyperbole: Hyperbole is simply a synonym for “exaggeration”, often employed in literature to-once again- place a kind of dramatic emphasis on things and create a grander visual for a reader; “Boats long as great serpents of the deep”.

Onomatopoeia: A long piece of terminology indeed. Onomatopoeia refers to the naming of a sound by way of a vocal imitation that represents it, such as “crash”, “bang”, “woosh”, etc.

Simile: A simile is, simply, a comparison, typically using the words “like” or “as”. In poetry, for example, a poet may employ the use of similes to express their devotion for the subject of a love poem; “Her eyes were like neon lights”.

Metaphor: The metaphor is the simile’s slightly more complex older sibling. Whilst a simile is a direct comparison (hence the use of like or as), a metaphor is a comparison that relates two things together by figuratively transferring the qualities of one to the other. “Her eyes were a wild kaleidoscope of neon lights”.

We’ve kept it quite simple here, although there are a myriad rhetorical devices available to you. Admittedly, some sound like alarming medical conditions, but they’re all very usable, and at your disposal for all your writing needs.