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English Literature classes aren’t, of course, just about identifying different poetic techniques! But there’s no doubting it helps to know the difference between assonance and allusion! Let’s have some fun writing poetry and securing that understanding!

ACTIVITY 1

Start by reading my poem. I wanted to reference the music that has soundtracked and informed my life. What poetic techniques do I use? Make a list of my methods.

See the colour-coded version at the bottom of this page for my ideas.

My So-Called Life

The cold wind at night
That teenage life
Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain
Jeff Buckley and Richey James
Reading Festival 94
Band t-shirts, power chords

Club UK and Bagleys
London in the nineties
Raves and sunrises
Glastonbury and No Surprises
Phone numbers off by heart
The romantic, prismatic dark

Camden Falcon’s back room
Yesterday Went Too Soon
Rachel Stamp, The Crocketts
Never-ending skyrockets
Dawson and Joey, Britney Spears
How the hell did I get here?

ACTIVITY 2

Write a poem that makes use of the same poetic techniques I employed. You might want to write – as I do – about my favourite people, places and moments. Write about the people, places and moments that have made you who you are!

ACTIVITY 3

Highlight the techniques you use and make some notes about their intended effect.

Here’s my poem with techniques colour-coded:

My So-Called Life

The cold wind at night – PATHETIC FALLACY
That teenage life – HALF-RHYME
Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain – ALLUSION SYMBOLISING THE WORRY THAT LIFE WILL BE SHORT
Jeff Buckley and Richey James
Reading Festival 94 – SEMANTIC FIELD OF MUSIC (HARMONY ETC.)
Band t-shirts, power chords

Club UK and Bagleys
London in the nineties
Raves and sunrises
Glastonbury and No Surprises
Phone numbers off by heart
The romantic, prismatic dark

Camden Falcon’s back room
Yesterday Went Too Soon
Rachel Stamp, The Crocketts
Never-ending skyrockets
Dawson and Joey, Britney Spears
How the hell did I get here?

  • Pathetic fallacy
  • Half-rhyme
  • Allusion
  • Semantic field (of music)
  • Symbol
  • Assonance
  • Hyperbole
  • Rhetorical question