Unleashing the Vibe: A Poet’s Guide to Figurative Language
Let’s be real: saying exactly what you mean is fine … for a grocery list. But for poetry that nourishes your soul and lets you express your deepest emotions? It’s a bit mid. If you want your poetry to actually hit where it counts, you need to move beyond the surface and go deeper. Whether you’re processing a breakup, expanding your self-identity or just vibing with the chaos of life, figurative language should be part of your toolkit. It’s an incredible device for writing poems and prose that make people feel the heartbeat of your emotions. See what we did there?
Summary (TL;DR): Figurative language is the art of using words in nonliteral ways to create impact, beauty, depth or classic literary effects. It’s the difference between saying “I’m sad” and saying “My heart is torn in a thousand pieces, scattered like rose petals on the barren ground.”
What Is Figurative Language?
At its core, figurative language involves intentional exaggeration, unexpected comparisons or sometimes plays on words or specific sound patterns. It’s often used to describe something by comparing it to something else (typically, something unexpected). It may also use words that have a meaning beyond their dictionary definition (I’ve been feeling blue lately). Figurative language gives your words an extra layer of meaning. It’s also fun to interpret what other poets truly mean when they use these complex devices.
Figurative vs. Literal Language
Literal language means exactly what it says.
Example: “It is raining very hard.” (Stick to the facts, already. I’ll just grab my umbrella.)
Figurative language uses layers and associations to convey a deeper, more complex meaning.
Example: “The wind was wilder than a bronco as the rain unleashed nature’s fury.” (Now I feel the vibe. It’s loud, messy, powerful.)
12 Types of Figurative Language to Level Up Your Writing
Think of this as your creative expansion pack. You don’t need to use all of these at once. Honestly, that would be a lot, but knowing they’re in your back pocket allows you to pick the right tool for the vibe you’re going for. Here are a few to try.
- Simile: Comparing two things using like” or as (e.g., Life is like a box of chocolates.” — Forrest Gump)
- Metaphor: Saying one thing is another (rather than “like” another) (e.g., “All the world’s a stage.” — William Shakespeare)
- Personification: Giving human traits to non-human things (e.g., The sun mocks me as I burn.)
- Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration for effect (e.g., I’ve died a thousand deaths.)
- Alliteration: Repeating the same syllable/sound pattern (e.g., Poetic power plays)
- Onomatopoeia: Words that sound like what they mean (e.g., “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain” — Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven)
- Oxymoron: Two contradictory words together (e.g., Deafening silence/bittersweet.)
- Allusion: A low-key reference to a person, place or thing (e.g., Hellooo, Cassanova.)
- Idiom: A common phrase where the meaning isn’t literal (e.g., Break a leg.)
- Irony: When the reality is the opposite of expectation (e.g., The fire station is burning.)
- Pun: A play on words for comedic effect (e.g., This book on anti-gravity is impossible to put down.)
- Synecdoche: Using a part to represent the whole (e.g., Check out my new wheels, meaning the whole car.)
Examples of Poems With Figurative Language
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman: Uses powerful metaphors about light and shade to discuss the future of a nation.
Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou: Uses hyperbole and imagery to celebrate the magic of self-confidence.
A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns: A classic example of similes
O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
— Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose
Poets Who Are Known for Figurative Language
Ocean Vuong: A master of gut-punch metaphor, especially regarding the queer experience and family history.
Danez Smith: A powerhouse poet who uses hyperbole and imagery to explore intersectionality and Black joy/struggle.
Sylvia Plath: Known for her sharp, sometimes dark and incredibly vivid personification.
“The tulips are too red in the first place, they hurt me. / Even through the gift paper I could hear them breathe” — Sylvia Plath, Tulips
How to Use Figurative Language in Your Own Poems
Don’t just plug these in like a chemistry equation. Poetry is about authenticity.
- Start with a Feeling: Think of an emotion. Is it sharp? Is it blurry? Is it a specific color?
- Avoid Cliches: “Busy as a bee” is tired. Try “Busy as a TikTok live stream on Friday night.”
- Focus on the Senses: Use figurative language to describe how things smell, taste or feel against your skin.
Related: See our article Sensory Poetry: Poems for All Five Senses for more examples.
Figurative Language Words: A Quick Cheat Sheet
If you’re stuck, try focusing on these bridge words to connect your ideas:
Like/As (Simile) “O my Luve is like a red, red rose.” — Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose
Is/Are (Metaphor) “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul” — Emily Dickinson, “Hope” is the thing with feathers
Whispered/Cried/Danced (Personification of objects) “And the wind wind whispers ‘Mary’” — Jimi Hendrix, The Wind Cries Mary
Always/Never/Forever/Billion (Hyperbole) “I’ll love you, dear, I’ll love you / Till China and Africa meet” — W.H. Auden, As I Walked Out One Evening
Pro Tip: Your identity and your unique lens on the world is the best source for new figurative language. Make the comparisons that only you could make. Put your words on the page.
