Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language

ASSIGNMENT OUTCOME: Students will be able to determine the meaning of figurative language in poetry,
and students will be able to use figurative language when writing poems.

Figurative Language is not meant to be interpreted literally (the author expects you to figure it out!). Poets
use figures of speech to express ideas boldly and imaginatively. Figures of speech serve several functions in
poetry:

● Figures of speech give us imaginative pleasure. The mind delights in the leaps needed for making
connections and in seeing similarities between two things that are normally unlike each other.

● Figures of speech help make abstract ideas concrete; they call for us to use all five senses.

● Figures of speech convey attitude with information and add emotional depth to otherwise informative
statements.

● Figures of speech are concentrated; they say more with fewer words.
● Figures of speech add richness, an extra layer of meaning, to poetry.

Many kinds of figures of speech are used by poets, including the following:

Simile Metaphor Personification Paradox

Understatement Hyperbole Oxymoron Symbolism
Irony

1. With which of the above figures of speech are you familiar?

2. Which of the above figures of speech are new to you?

 Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language
SIMILES

Assignment Outcome: Students will be able to use figurative language (similes) to craft a riddle poem.
(Curriculum Standards: W.8.3.d and L.3.a).
A simile is a figure of speech that uses like, as, than, similar, resembles, seems, or a similar word or phrase to
make a direct comparison between two unlike things. Poets use similes to help readers make connections.

EXAMPLES OF SIMILES: THE MOON

Like a baby peeping
My love is like a red, red rose. Over the side of her crib,
The moon stood on tiptoe
Her eyes were as green as Irish hills. To peer over the far hills.

Her mood was as brown as autumn. The moonrays, like uplifted baby arms,
Reached out from above,
Hugged the earth around the neck,
And warmed it with its love.

I. Read the following poem by Langston Hughes and answer the questions below.

“Dreams”
Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

a. Identify the similes in the poem by underlining or highlighting them.

b. What is Hughes’ message about dreams?

c. Enrichment (Optional)
i. Langston Hughes’ “Harlem” link:
1. Link to poem: https://poets.org/poem/harlem-0
2. Nike Commercial used his poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrfLQpN2gZs
ii. NCAA March Madness Final Four 2015 used Hughes’ Dreams poem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTQtcD7AFJE&t=63s
 Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language

II. Complete the following similes:

Rare as _____________________________________ Pretty as __________________________________

Jealous as ___________________________________ Anger like _________________________________

Tiny as ______________________________________ Intelligent as _______________________________

Funny like ___________________________________ Sticky as __________________________________

Clear as _____________________________________ Shy as ____________________________________

III. Riddle Poetry is a wonderful way to practice using similes. Write a “Mystery Object” poem. Using at least
five similes, craft a poem that describes a well known person, place or thing. Make sure it is something we all
can recognize – not, say, your Auntie Beattie. At the end, we will try to guess what it is.

EXAMPLE:

Our Mystery Object

Our mystery object…

Has a face that’s as round as the moon
Has hands like golden arrows
Is as tall as a tower block
Has a voice like a gong
And is as famous as any pop star.

Write your Mystery Object poem here:

 Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language

EXAMPLES:

Rare as ________a silent movie __________________ Pretty as _a peacock_____________________

Jealous as __a demon_________________________ Anger like __wanting to speak to the manager_

Tiny as _a flea’s knee_____________________________ Intelligent as _a mad scientist_________________

Funny like a cartoon__________________________ Sticky as ____a tar pit________________________

Clear as _Saturday morning________________________ Shy as _A Turtle___________________________

MORE EXAMPLES: CAN YOU GUESS THE MYSTERY OBJECT?

(ANSWERS AFTERWARDS)

#1
Has a tip and a top
Can be the sharpest or the dullest
Is able to make mistakes
And is yellow like the sun
In fact you probably have one sitting in front you right now

#2
Has two sides like legs that never walk.
A front that is clear as day.
A view as far as the eye can see.
Take them away, you’re blind as a bat.
As helpful as a hearing aid for the deaf.
#3
Our mystery object…..
Has the color of sunshine
Smells as good as perfume
Grows as tall as a skyscraper
Shares a home with nature
And its middle is as dark as space

#4
As purple as the king’s robes
As white as a pearl inside
A smell like needles that prickle your nose
And a taste as good as spice in rice
 Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language

#5
This happens once a year in Boston like one’s birthday.
The route stretches as far as the stars in the sky.
Money for charities raised as high as the city’s skyscrapers.
Some are as fast as cheetahs in the wild.
Some are slow and steady like turtles plodding along.
Thousands swarm the streets like bees.
Signs as funny as Jimmy Fallon’s tonight show’s monologue.
Spectators as rowdy as cheerleaders at a pep rally.
Medals as bright as diamonds.

#6
Loud.
Rumbling like thunder,
But also shrill,high-pitched like a scream.
Sometimes it will shine in the Boston daylight
(or moonlight)
But usually it’s underground, like a mole
Traveling through tunnels.
As complicated as a maze
Stopping every so often, like a traveler needing a break.
And like a maze,
If you can see the layout,
With a little patience, you’ll get to where you want to go.

#7
Like a globe that fits in the palm of my hand
Almost perfectly smooth
golden, like the sun.
Sour on the outside,
Still sour on the inside, but a little sweeter.
The cold juice is refreshing, like a cool breeze on a hot day.
Hold a slice of the inside up to the light,
It’s like a topaz jewel.
The smell is fresh.
And when it’s over
 Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language
The outside remains,
Scattered over the table.
Messy, like a home after a party
That needs to be cleaned up.
#8
Shaped like a box.
On the top, four circles, coils like curled-up snakes.
Like curled-up snakes, these circles can be safe to touch sometimes
But other times
Touching them could be as dangerous as touching an angry cobra.
Sometimes the four circles won’t be like coiled-up snakes.
They’ll just be circles.
But that doesn’t mean they’re any less dangerous.
As painful as grabbing a knife.
The front of this thing opens.
Like a mouth, or the drawbridge to an old castle.
Sometimes heat shoots out like a dragon,
But other times it is safe to touch.
And that is the power of this thing.
Used wrongly, and things will be burnt and bitter, and it can hurt you.
Smoke will fume out like a chimney.
But if you use it right?
Things will be sweet, warm, delicious, and healthy.
 Playing with Poetry - Figurative Language

ANSWERS

1. PENCIL

2. GLASSES

3. SUNFLOWER

4. ONION

5. THE BOSTON MARATHON

6. THE BOSTON SUBWAY SYSTEM (THE T)

7. GRAPEFRUIT

8. STOVE