Using Alliteration in Poetry

Some poetry advice, examples, and tips aimed at primary school teachers to be used as a resource.

Using Alliteration in Poetry

Hot Summer


Sitting on the sizzling sidewalk 
I spy 
the sailboat you once swayed in.
You surfed the spinning seas until 
all the ocean churned to soap
And you?
became the salted secret that no summer could break.

by Michelle Moloney King

source


What is Alliteration?

The first sound in a series of words is the same, for example,
 ‘she sells sea shells.’ It can help to
set the mood of the poem.

What could be done, for example, write down some adjectives that are linked with summer.

Example – Hot Summer words that start with S
Sizzling, summer, sand, seat, sailboat, stereo,  sales,smoky,  saliva, store, sad, shark, salt, seaside, seasonal,
 seaquake, surf, seahorse, secrets,sway,  seawater, spin, stars, soapy.

I picked the letter S as it sounds like a snake and they are found in hot countries. Even the amount of syllable
s in a word can change a poem, if words have long syllables then that slows the poem, and gives it a sluggish
feeling. Words made with short syllables are quick and fast.

So, not only is my poem an example of alliteration but it is also in free verse. Alliteration can be used in any
type of  poem.

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