The Power of Weaving Metaphorical Magic Into Your Poetry

Poetry devoid of metaphors is less impactful. If you aspire to craft a memorable piece, we can offer some insight into harnessing the power of metaphor. The information below might prove useful if you’re learning about poetry and poetic devices or just want to improve your writing.

What Metaphors Are and How They Are Used in Poetry

There are several devices and figures of speech utilised within poetry, but few are as effective as a good metaphor. A metaphor directly compares two unrelated things without using “like” or “as” the way a simile does. Most of us don’t realise how often we use metaphors in our daily speech – think of phrases such as “time is money”, “we’re in the same boat”, or “the cherry on top.” One object’s qualities are figuratively projected onto the other object, deepening the sentiment’s meaning. Using metaphors forces the reader to navigate between the lines and form creative links between concepts. The sentence, “He has a heart of stone”, doesn’t literally mean the subject’s physical heart is carved out of stone, but instead asks the question, “What are the characteristics of stone?”. Most readers intuitively know that stone is cold, hard, and lacking softness. The metaphor makes the line far more pleasing and concise than merely describing the subject’s personality.

Painting a Picture in the Reader’s Mind

Metaphors add superb aesthetic value to poems; the biggest benefit is that they’re pleasing to read. It animates poetry, bringing it to life in unexpected ways and gives the audience a far better understanding of what you are trying to express.

Tapping Into Human Emotion

The vivid image a metaphor presents can quickly evoke emotions in the audience, especially if you are trying to convey something profound or a topic that feels heavy and ambiguous. Using familiar metaphors will also swiftly give the readers an idea of the emotion behind the theme, and they will take their cues from this literary device to help them interpret the entire piece.

Adding Layers of Symbolism To Poems

Poems can express profound depth within a few verses, and metaphors help them do it. With a well-placed metaphor, a single line can have several layers of meaning to it, allowing the reader to connect to the piece on multiple levels.

Expressing Complicated Concepts

Metaphors are linguistic bridges that facilitate how we express abstract ideas, giving these nuanced concepts quick clarity. By simplifying tricky themes, the poem becomes more accessible to a diverse audience. Metaphors are outstanding tools within poetry that pack a punch and streamline what is usually a complicated notion.

Enhancing The Poem’s Theme

Another notable power that metaphors have is amplifying the theme of the poem. A superb example of this is found in Sylvia Plath’s fittingly titled work, “Metaphors.” The piece’s theme is Plath’s pregnancy, and with nine lines of nine syllables each, possibly pointing to the nine months of pregnancy, we see metaphor after metaphor. The short poem starts with the lines,

“I’m a riddle in nine syllables,
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.”

We then see the metaphors become more poignant, with the writer calling herself “a means, a stage, a cow in calf.” and the poem ending with, “Boarded the train there’s no getting off”. It’s no easy thing for an expectant mother to outrightly say she feels her individualism reduced in some way or that perhaps she feels locked into a new situation and fears the destination. Through these powerful metaphors that soften the harsh sentiment, we see the humour, the unease, and the reflection on her changing life.

Leaving a Lasting Impression On Your Audience

Poetry is an interpretive space, and metaphors pull the reader into the meaning-making process. This forms a connection to the poem, which is always memorable. The best poetry has an enduring impact on people, and if you want to make an impression that sticks in someone’s mind for a long time, use memorable metaphors

If you would like some practical examples of how metaphors are used in poetry, we have a library collection of successful entries in our annual AVBOB Poetry Project. See if you can spot any metaphors and if you are able to analyse how they impact the rest of the poem.