poetic device: Repetition

Repetition in poetry is when you repeat individual words, phrases, lines, or entire stanzas throughout the poem. Repetition gives extra strength or emphasis to the idea being repeated.

For example, you might start all of many of the lines of a poem with the same words, such as “I’ll never” or “I can’t wait for.” Or you might repeat a single line more than once to emphasize the point, as in the ending of Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” You can even repeat an entire stanza more than once; this is called a chorus or a refrain.

If you would like to write your own repetition poems, read this fun poetry-writing lesson.

All of these poems include repetition. Read a few and see if you like repetition in poems.

I Didn’t Go Camping
New Year's Day Promises by Kenn Nesbitt
New Year’s Day Promises
Pelican
Spaghetti, Dear Spaghetti by Kenn Nesbitt
Spaghetti, Dear Spaghetti
Mirror, Mirror by Linda Knaus and Kenn Nesbitt
Mirror, Mirror
Somewhere Sometime by Kenn Nesbitt
Somewhere Sometime
My Sister’s Pretty Picky
The Eggs Were All Bedeviled by Kenn Nesbitt
The Eggs Were All Bedeviled
My Favorite Food Is Broccoli
Digging for Diamonds by Kenn Nesbitt
Digging for Diamonds
My Mirror Likes to Argue
Our Parents Are Planning a Party by Kenn Nesbitt
Our Parents Are Planning a Party
Glurp the Purple Alien
I’m Building a Rocket
Mr. Obvious
An Echo in My Room
Some Kids by Kenn Nesbitt
Some Kids
Sharpen Sharpen Sharpen by Kenn Nesbitt
Sharpen, Sharpen, Sharpen
My Dog Plays Invisible Frisbee
My Robot’s Misbehaving
A Sheep is Asleep On My Sofa
Bigfoot’s Bewilderment
Be Grateful for Your Epidermis by Kenn Nesbitt
Be Grateful for Your Epidermis
I'm Glad that I'm Me by Kenn Nesbitt
I’m Glad to Be Me

Become a Member to View this Page

While most of Poetry4kids is available to view for free, some premium pages are available only to members. Members enjoy many benefits, including free goodies and an ad-free experience.

Join for as Little as $1/month I'm Already a Member - Login Not Right Now