poetic device: Alliteration

Alliteration is not when words start with the same letter but, rather, when the first stressed (or accented) syllable of two nearby words begin with the same consonant sound. This means that there are basically three types of alliterations:

  1. When nearby words start with the same consonants and the same sounds, such as “dancing dogs”, or “big boys.”
  2. When nearby words start with different consonants but the same sounds, such as “cats and kittens” or “jungle gym.”
  3. When nearby words start with different sounds, but have the same sounds at the beginning of their first stressed syllable, such as “normal banana” (which each have an “n” sound on the first stressed syllable) or “regular karate” (which each have an “r” sound on the first stressed syllable).

These poems include alliterations. Some may have just a single alliteration within the poem, while others may include dozens of alliterations.

Riding a Rainbow by Kenn Nesbitt
Riding a Rainbow
Beavers In the Bathroom
Carl the Cookie Carrier
Christmas Cat
My Sister Says She’s Sleepy
When Freddie Had Spaghetti by Kenn Nesbitt
When Freddie Had Spaghetti
An Ordinary Day
Modern Popularity
Here Is the House by Kenn Nesbitt
Here is the House
On Top of Mount Everest
Stumblebum Stan by Kenn Nesbitt
Stumblebum Stan
Polar Bowling
Lorenzo Liszt, Non-Scientist
Rhonda Ray by Kenn Nesbitt
Rhonda Ray
Nate the Creative
Bloome the Human Boomerang
I’m Not Afraid of the Dark
Recipe for Disaster by Kenn Nesbitt
Recipe for Disaster
Benjamin Plays Bass Guitar by Kenn Nesbitt
Benjamin Plays Bass Guitar
Mr. Yes and Mr. No
While Lying On the Grass Today
Rudy Tude by Kenn Nesbitt
Rudy Tude
My Kiwi Is the Captain
Sylvester the Strongman by Kenn Nesbitt
Sylvester the Strongman