Writing and reading poetry is beautiful form of art and expression. It can be incredibly cathartic as well when you read a sentence that was written so poignantly you feel like it echoed all of your personal feelings and hit the nail on the head. There are several types of poetry, styles and forms and a common thread within all of it is the use of metaphor. The definition of A metaphor is “a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.” Or rather, a comparison between two things in which you replace the name of the object for something more abstract or less literal. William Shakespeare was known for using metaphors in poems quite often, perhaps famously saying in Sonnet 18, “Shall I compare these to a Summer’s day?”
If you’re writing poetry, it’s an incredibly useful and essential tool for your poetry to flow in a beautiful and, dare I say, “poetic” way. If you’re learning how to write poetry or teaching a group of students the best way to use metaphors in poems, we’ve gathered some examples for you to examine and work with when you’re creating your own poems!