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What is poetic license?

Poetic license is a term used to describe the freedom that poets have to deviate from the literal, ordinary meaning of words and grammar in order to create a poetic effect. This includes the use of metaphor, simile, personification, and other figures of speech, as well as the use of unusual words and word combinations.

Poetic license is not simply a matter of making mistakes or breaking rules. Rather, it is a way for poets to use language in a creative way to express their thoughts and feelings. By using poetic license, poets can create images, emotions, and ideas that would not be possible otherwise.

Here are some examples of poetic license:

* In the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, the speaker uses the phrase "the lone and level sands" to describe the beach. However, the sands are not actually level, as the poem goes on to describe the speaker walking up and down them.

* In the poem "The Tyger" by William Blake, the speaker asks, "What immortal hand or eye / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?" This is a rhetorical question, as the speaker does not actually expect an answer. He is simply using the question to express his awe and wonder at the tiger's beauty.

* In the poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth, the speaker compares himself to a cloud. This is a simile, as the speaker is not actually a cloud. He is simply using the comparison to create a sense of isolation and loneliness.

Poetic license is an essential tool for poets. It allows them to express themselves in a creative and unique way, and to create poems that are both beautiful and meaningful.

Poetry

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