PoetryIntermediate
Sound Patterning
The organised use of sound effects such as alliteration, assonance, and consonance.
Principle
Sound carries meaning before paraphrase catches up.
Takeaways
- Sound can bind images, intensify mood, or create friction.
- Patterns should serve the poem's pressure, not merely ornament it.
- Subtle sound design often works below conscious notice.
Overview
Sound patterning is the deliberate arrangement of repeated or contrasting sounds. It includes rhyme, alliteration, assonance, consonance, euphony, cacophony, and rhythmic echo.
Examples
- Soft sibilants make a scene feel hushed and secretive.
- Hard consonants make a comic insult snap.