Alliteration gives poetry its lyricism. It is the repetition of the initial sound of words in a line or lines of verse.
Alliteration is also repetition of both initial sounds and interior sounds of words. For example, blue-berry. This is known as consonance.
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within words in a line or lines of verse. It creates a near-rhyme.
Let’s take a look at alliteration in my poem The Not Belonging:
The Not Belonging
The not belonging creeps in like a rash spreads from
blue eyes scorching over me
dismissively.
Inadequacy creeps across my soul, sneaks into my head from the bruised corner of my heart where hurt dwells.
The not belonging burrows into my memory, attaches itself there.
My nut-brown Mama cast a pained glance towards me,
down decades,
defies death’s power to heal all wounds.
Copyright 2018 Jenny Andrews
For consonance I have chosen belonging, burrows, down, decades, defies, death. There is a harshness to the consonance which reflect the imagery evoked by these word choices. In this poem, I have continued to rely heavily on consonance to reflect the theme of this poem. For example, heart, hurt.
Imagery appeals to the senses.
Let’s look at imagery in my poem Foot Bridge:
Foot Bridge
Between two worlds, sunlight splits the water
trickling beneath,
pregnant with little brown fish.
Rocks half-submerged in tree shadows,
beneath cool water.
Mint-green leaves and golden sea grass sway in the cool September breeze.
I am not sure if my mind can be still enough to gather in the coolness of this moment,
if I can quiet my thoughts long enough to let in the chirping of red-faced finches swooping low, diving into the white lacy flowers of the Eldrum tree.
Copyright 2018 Jenny Andrews
For imagery, I have used color to appeal to the visual sense. I have also incorporated consonance. For example, red-faced finches.
I have appealed to touch-cool September breeze.
I have appealed to sound-chirping.
In poetry, alliteration and imagery can work together to set a tone, a mood.
In post, I will go into more detail about tone and style.
Meanwhile, I hope you have had a chance to order my poetry book LIFE AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW. It is available at Amazon.com/books. Please feel free to comment here about this post. I would love to get your feedback, comments, questions. Also, after you order my poetry book, please let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading!
Best,
Jenny
