poetic device: Irony

Irony is when what you expect to happen doesn’t occur, but instead results in the opposite action or effect. For example, if someone were run over by an ambulance, or if you went to “Camp Sunshine” and it rained the whole week.

All of these poems have at least one example of irony each, usually at the end of the poem. See if you can figure out what is ironic in each of these poems.

Terrible Dream by Kenn Nesbitt
Terrible Dream
Spinach Is One of My Favorite Foods
Spinach is One of My Favorite Foods
Going Nowhere Slowly by Kenn Nesbitt
Going Nowhere Slowly
When Daniel Went Dancing by Kenn Nesbitt
When Daniel Went Dancing
The Bagel Bird
Porcupine Valentine
I Made a Hat by Kenn Nesbitt
I Made a Hat
New Computer by Kenn Nesbitt
New Computer
I Tried to Catch a Snowflake
I Sat Down on a Seesaw by Kenn Nesbitt
I Sat Down On a Seesaw
Antigravity Machine
Antigravity Machine
Broccoli for Breakfast by Kenn Nesbitt
Broccoli for Breakfast
Nimrod Nero, Superhero
I've Got a Secret by Kenn Nesbitt
I’ve Got a Secret
Can't Sleep by Kenn Nesbitt
Can’t Sleep
There’s a Witch Outside My Window
I Built a Castle on the Beach
I Made Myself a Sandwich
I Named My Dogs the Strangest Names by Kenn Nesbitt
I Named My Dogs the Strangest Names
What I Told Mrs. Morris when She Asked How I Was Feeling Today by Kenn Nesbitt
What I Told Mrs. Morris When She Asked How I Was Feeling Today
Mall Crawl
I Bought a Balloon
Gordon’s Garden
Toby the Snowboarding Doberman

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