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WORLD | Mar 21, 2023

World Poetry Day and literary devices used in poetry

Candice Stewart

Candice Stewart / Our Today

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary. – Khalil Gibran

Poetry, like other forms of literature, is written to share ideas, express emotions, and create imagery. It has the power to tell stories and make social commentary in ways that prose simply cannot. They use rhyme and rhythm to unravel a plot, tie a knot, and stir the pot. 

Poetry remains an important part of Jamaican culture and may be seen through our celebrated poets, literary activities and festivals, as well as the cultural desire to colourfully express ideas. 

From Shakespearean sonnets to thought-provoking compositions by Louise Bennett-Coverley, poems are long-lived, often read and will be recited for generations to come.

WORLD POETRY DAY

UNESCO

World Poetry Day has been celebrated on March 21 since the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999. 

One of the general goals of World Poetry Day is to bring attention to the importance of poetry in the conservation of old languages, in human growth in general, and in bringing about global awareness.

The United Nations describes the day as an occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media. 

Poetry enriches the dialogue that catalyses all human progress, and is more necessary than ever in turbulent times

Audrey Azoulay, director general of UNESCO

Audrey Azoulay, director general of UNESCO has said that poetry is, “arranged in words”, and “coloured with images”. She said that the form of expression “opens doors to others” and “enriches the dialogue that catalyses all human progress, and is more necessary than ever in turbulent times.”

FOUR LITERARY DEVICES USED IN POETRY

Literary devices are specific techniques that allow a writer to convey a deeper meaning that goes beyond what’s on the page. They help to elevate a story and trigger reflection on life, society, and what it means to be human.

Believe it or not, there is more to poetry than rhymes, alliteration, and tempo. Literary devices such as anaphora, conceit, apostrophe, repetition, and internal rhyme are used to skillfully tell a story or express a thought. 

In observation of World Poetry day, here are four possibly lesser known literary devices used in the literary art:

Anaphora

This describes a poem that repeats the same phrase at the beginning of each line. At times, it is a main element of a poem’s construction. In other instances, poets may only use this literary device in one or two stanzas and not the entire piece.

Conceit

This literary device is an extended metaphor. In order for a metaphor to be a conceit, it must run through the entire poem and be the poem’s central device. For example, consider the ‘fiyah tick’ from the Jamaican proverb, ‘Ole fiyah tick easy fe ketch’. As a consideration of love, you could use it as a metaphor to explore love in all its intensity. 

Apostrophe

Not to be confused with the punctuation mark for possessive nouns, this literary device describes any instance when the speaker talks to a person or object that is absent from the poem. Poets often use apostrophe when they speak to the dead or to a long lost lover. 

Internal rhyme

Though rhymes may be seen as cliche, we keep them near to our hearts. As such, let’s look at a type of rhyme. An internal rhyme is just what it sounds like: two rhyming words juxtaposed inside of the line, rather than at the end of the line. 

Whether you enjoy reading or writing poetry, you should either practice or keep an eye out for these literary devices. It may heighten your appreciation for poetry.

Happy World Poetry Day!

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