Poetry is famous for being composed in structure. Poetry, traditionally, is fraught with rhyme and composed in rhythm. This is to separate the poem from prose, but also make it catchy.

Prose: Normal writing style, used for almost everything but poem. This is not regimented.

Ex:

I went to the store today with my dog, and he was really tired.

Verse: Regimented style. Poems are written in this form.

Ex:

Today I walked to the store with my dog,

Who trailed behind; a lump on a log.

Now, rhyme and rhythm only preserve a poem, while there are many other literary elements that seal it together beautifully.

Alliteration: The same sound appears at the beginning of two or more consecutive words.

Ex:

Beautiful bumble bees bewilder baffled, biting black bears.

As you can see, and enjoy, the entire phrase is covered with "B".

This is not alliteration:

Crusty Cyrus.

The Cs do not make the same sound.

OR

Vespertine Aardvarks.

The Vs are in different positions in each word.

Now, a similar device to Alliteration is

Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in non-rhyming words.

In its lid slid pickles with bitter little critics.

All of the i's make the same sound.

Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates a sound.

BARK! The dog barked loudly.

BARK! The dog barked proudly.

Simple. Also words such as "Creeeek" "HOOT!" "ka-BLAM!" Any sound.

Metaphor: Making a realistic comparison between two objects.

School is a jail.

Simile: Making a realistic comparison between two objects with "as" or "like."

She's as light as a feather.

Symbolism: Using symbols: Often subtle or hidden representations.

In Dante's Commedia, hs uses fire to symbolize cleanliness, as it burned only those who sinned. Ice froze evil.

These are many of the basics of Poetry. In Part 2, I'll discuss the different types of Poems.