1. Reading poetry is challenging in any language. Depending on the poetry you are reading, out-of-
date vocabulary and expressions are often used. To help you get a feeling for poetry in English
there are a few devices that you can recognise to help you understand the text better.
Metaphors
Metaphors make a comparison between two objects with the intent of giving clearer meaning to
one of them. Often forms of the "to be" verb are used, such as "is" or "was", to make the
comparison.
Similes
Similes make a comparison between two objects using a specific word or comparison such as
"like", "as", or "than".
Underline the word or phrase that is being described by each simile. Put parentheses around the word or phrase it is
being compared to. The first three have been done for you.
1. Mary frowned and said, “I believe that taking drugs is like (playing with fire).”
2. I walked along the beach and listened to the ocean. My sadness was as unending as the (waves).
3. Don’t tell Mother that her cookies taste like (lumps of sand).
4. Sam waited impatiently for his older brother to calm down. “Bill, I think you are acting like a baby,” he said.
5. Karen was offended when I said that she was as flaky as a snowstorm.
6. Be careful when you go out. The sidewalk is as slippery as greased glass.
7. I’m not comfortable about this situation. I feel like a bug sitting under a magnifying glass.
8. I hoped our play would be a success and last for many performances. However, I guess it will last as long as a
balloon in a roomful of kittens.
9. I really like Patty. Her heart is as soft as a feather pillow.
10. Cheryl’s smile is as sweet as a lullaby.
Read the statements that contain metaphors in italics. Then complete the statements that explain the metaphors.
1. Brian was a wall, bouncing every tennis ball back over the net.
This metaphor compares Brian to a wall because __________.
a. He was very strong.
b. He was very tall.
c. He kept returning the balls.
d. His body was made of cells.
2. We would have had more pizza to eat if Tammy hadn’t been such a hog.
Tammy was being compared to a hog because she __________.
a. looked like a hog
b. ate like a hog
c. smelled like a hog
d. was as smart as a hog
3. Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind.
The metaphor compares Cindy to a mule because she was __________.
a. always eating oats
b. able to do hard work

2. c. raised on a farm
d. very stubborn
4. The poor rat didn’t have a chance. Our old cat, a bolt of lightning, caught his prey.
The cat was compared to a bolt of lightning because he was __________.
a. very fast
b. very bright
c. not fond of fleas
d. very old
5. Even a child could carry my dog, Dogface, around for hours. He’s such a feather.
This metaphor implies that Dogface __________.
a. is not cute
b. looks like a bird
c. is not heavy
d. can fly
Use the words in the box to find synonyms for the italicized words:
baby surprised find protect careful
rich rude lucky top go up
hurt mistake want answer piece
I was amazed at how fast he could run.
(1)
It was fortunate that we had an umbrella because it started to pour.
(2)
I found a fragment of broken pottery in the dirt.
(3)
Not wanting to get injured, she was very cautious.
(4)
I can’t locate my bag. Have you seen it?
(5)
That’s a nice car. He must be very wealthy.
(6)
He’s very gentle. He wouldn’t harm anyone.
(7)
I made an error in my calculations so my answer was wrong.
(8)
The infant didn’t talk until she was two years old.
(9)
When I got to the summit of the mountain I could see the whole world.
(10)
I don’t know the solution to this problem.
(11)
I don’t want to invite her because she is so impolite.
(12)
The king told the knight to guard the princess.
(13)

3. Also, rhymes are a very important part in creating a poem, so let’s try these Easy ones!
Easy Rhymes
What do you wear that rhymes with cat?
What fruit do you eat that rhymes with hair?
What lives in the sea and rhymes with dish?
What comes out at night and rhymes with car?
What flies in the sky and rhymes with word?
What do you read that rhymes with cook?
What do you bake that rhymes with rake?
What do you eat with that rhymes with moon?
What do you drive that rhymes with far?
What do you sing that rhymes with strong?
Where do you sleep that rhymes with red?
What do you eat that rhymes with punch?
Where do you sit that rhymes with stair?
Where do you go for a walk that rhymes with shark?
An exaggeration is when you say
something is much bigger or better
than it really was. So for example, if I
say ‘I am so hungry that I could eat a
horse’ I am exaggerating. Nobody can
really eat a whole horse. But I say that
to emphasize how hungry I am.
“It was so big that I needed extra
hands to measure it!”
When we exaggerate, we often use the pattern ‘so . . . that . . .’ You try making some exaggerations below.
The first two have been done for you.
hungry
dark
thirsty
tired
bored
excited
happy
cold
hot
scared
rich
poor
small
big
angry

4. People Alliteration
Alliteration is when all the words start with the same sound.
Many moms making milkshakes
You try some:
Tough teachers ________________
____________ cooks cooking cakes.
Thirty thieves ________________
______________ nurses napping.
Funny ______________ farming.
Cheerful children ______________.
_____________ singers standing.
_____________ bankers buying bread.
_______________ girls giggling.
Wet waiters ___________________.
Dozens of dads doing ______________.
Hungry hunters __________________.
Humorous poem: read these poem and discuss with your group:
The subject
The feeling
The mood
The audience
Get Up and Go
by Pete Seeger
How do I know my youth has been spent:
Because my get-up-and-go, got up and went
But in spite of all that, I'm able to grin
When I think where my get-up-and-go has been
Old age is golden, I've heard it said,
But sometimes I wonder as I go to bed
My ears are in a drawer, my teeth in a cup,
My eyes on a table until I wake up
When I was young my slippers were red
I could kick my heels right over my head
When I grew older my slippers were blue
But I could still dance the whole night thru
Now that I am old my slippers are black
I walk to the corner and puff my way back
The reason I know my youth is spent
My get-up-and-go got up and went
I get up each morning dust off my wits
Pick up the paper and read the "orbits"
If my name is missing, I know I'm not dead
So I eat a good breakfast and go back to bed
Can you try to create your own humorous poem?