Straightforward Simile

Remember just a few weeks ago we talked about metaphor (subtle comparison of two things)? Today we are going to enlighten you on its sibling, the simile.

The simile, quite simply, is a comparison of two things using “like” or “as”. This enables the poet to lead the reader to create an image he/she may never have thought of in that context before.


Writing.Com example: "Invalid Item"  BY katherine76

Simile Excerpts:

“beating of hearts is as loud as the sirens”

Hearts take on the imagery of sirens.

“…the cloud of smoke
Surrounding the building like thick black tar”

Here she compares smoke and tar.


Utilize the simile (and metaphor) to jumpstart your poem. State the unexpected, turn the plain and mundane into something extraordinary! Learning to use these tools effectively can give your poetry a depth you never before imagined.

One quick side note: There is a special term for metaphor and simile that refers to a very unlikely comparison. That term is: conceit.

By learning and perfecting the poetic tools in our toolbox we can turn the good poetry we write into the great poem we get published and get the satisfaction of torturing students with it in the future. :P

On that note, let’s go over the tools we’ve learned about so far:

"Allusion Infusion" 
"Invalid Item" 
Onomatopoeia


Here are some tools to look forward to learning!


Poetry Threads
Ambiguity/Ambivalence
Enjambment
Irony/Oxymoron
Metonymy
Symbol
Tightening/Editing
AND MUCH MORE!

We hope you are as excited as we are at the coming articles.


Online links to more information on simile:

http://www.uwec.edu/jerzdg/orr/handouts/Poetry/tips.htm#5
http://www.purchon.co.uk/poetry/simile.html



Click here for info on simile's sibling: "Invalid Item" 

For more poetical type info click here: "A Poet's Tool Box"