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In the days of Simon and Garfunkle, a high school English teacher told his disbelieving students they already knew poetry. Eyebrows rose.

The teacher didn't argue with them. He merely began to recite:
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
The students' eyes lit up in recognition. All knew the lyrics to that song.

The best poetry, fiction, and nonfiction make extensive use of figurative language. It's the most effective way to get certain points across. Songs do this too!

Here are 21 of the best songs with figurative language of all time. Note how well written they are and how memorable the songs became.

1. Rain on Me - Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande

This song is not a weather report. It's about a woman who's unlucky in love. Teardrops are her metaphorical rain. But, with all her regrets, she's determined to retain her self-respect. Water metaphors are quite common in music, and there are many songs about water that have deeper meanings.

The metaphors illustrate her need to show strength to her lover no matter how much sadness she experiences.
Up next: The top songs about regret and guilt
2. Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.
Walls are time-honored metaphors of separation and alienation. Pink Floyd's crew constructed a huge wall brick by brick to make this point as obvious as possible while performing the song on stage.

The song served as an effective protest against child abuse in the schools back in the Nineties. Calling teachers "bricks" in a child's wall of fear was an extremely telling rhetorical device.

3. Love Shack - the B-52's

Metaphors aren't just used in sad songs. Hyperbole, or over-the-top language, can make you laugh out loud. Who can forget Fred Schneider boasting...

And don't forget the gang's funky form of call-and-response onomatopoeia-using words that sound like what they mean-these almost sounding like sound effects.
Bang, bang, bang on the door baby.
I can't hear you.
4. What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

When gravel-voiced Satchmo sung this deeply felt song of gratitude for the beauty of the world, he included adjectives that greatly deepened the meanings of their nouns. This use of figurative language is especially effective in this stanza:

5. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

This song isn't just a spoof of every opera ever written, it's Freddie Mercury's romp through language and imagination.

Is life a metaphor for a landslide or vice versa?

The operatic wordplay continues section after section in this massive song. Throw in some Italian names and some allusions to Italian stagecraft...
Read next: Our guide to learning how to sing opera
6. Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran

This song depicts Man the Hunter as like a wolf, a simile, not a metaphor. A simile compares two unlike things. A metaphor says that two unlike things are in some sense the same thing.

The wolf is the simile for the man. The city is the metaphor, a hunting ground filled with dangers...
Darken the city, night is a wire
Steam in the subway, earth is a afire
The woman he is after is his prey. He would make her his mate...
Straddle the line in discord and rhyme
I'm on the hunt
I'm after you
Mouth is alive, with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf
7. Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys would have none of that. Her song is about a woman who is in the struggle and is going all out to achieve her dreams. Note her inner self's comparison to a fantasy and a highway, a jarring juxtaposition that illuminates her character.
Up next: Top songs about dreaming ever made
8. American Pie - Don McLean

This iconic song is jammed with allusions, hyperbole, metaphors, similes, brief references to famous songs, symbolic names for real rock stars, including Buddy Holly, and glances at political and cultural events in post-war America.

The title itself refers to McLean's vision of the Fifties as America's golden age.

9. Sad Songs (Say So Much) - Elton John

This song exemplifies one of the simplest forms of figurative language-alliteration. The memorable effect of starting several words in a row with the same sound has been used by poets since long before Homer.

10. Come Sail Away - Styx

This song;s story can be seen as a giant metaphor for the call to adventure. For more storytelling songs, check out our top list now.

And then the surprise twist is applied:
I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise
We climbed aboard their starship, we headed for the skies
11. New York, New York - Frank Sinatra

Personification is the rhetorical device of attributing human characteristics to a non-human thing. Here's how Ol' Blue Eyes did it:

12. Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone - Bill Withers

To express a lover's grief, the songwriter will often describe impossible events happening in the lover's world. Hyperbole is a powerful form of figurative language. Clearly, the sun must still shine when she's away. But he can't feel it. Check out our list of songs about unrequited love next!
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
13. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler

The title itself is an analogy to a celestial event. And an impossible promise made will demonstrate her ardent love:

14. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

Another metaphor of Man as Hunter, Man as Tiger. But this time, he seeks a rival for a fight. Check out this list for more top fighting songs.

15. Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack

Another clearly over-the-top title. How can anyone kill with a song? It's a metaphor for the strong emotions a song can generate in the listener.

16. Fireworks - Katy Perry

Everyone has the potential to become a superstar. The metaphor of a firework blasting bright colors across the sky standing for a well-lived life is offered by Perry.

17. The Bones - Maren Morris

Lyricists can reuse a metaphor. A house is said to have good bones. That in of itself is a metaphor for a solid structure and layout. Morris applies this figure to a solid relationship between lovers.

18. Sympathy for the Devil - the Rolling Stones

No, the song gives no sympathy to the Devil. The title refers to what a powerful urge might demand of us. The song is an allegory on human evil. The Devil is the personification of human evil.

This particular reference is to the 100 Years War:

19. Operator - The Manhattan Transfer

This song can be understood as an allegory of a step-by-step method of prayer. The old-time telephone technology involving a series of operators physically making long-distance connections possible makes the allegory of trying to call heaven fun. This meshes well with the rousing church spiritual musical style of the song.

20. Blowin' in the Wind - Peter, Paul, and Mary

This powerful folk song consists of nothing but a series of specific questions. Some address events in nature. Others address the human condition.

They all add up to one enormous question about the power, danger, and opportunity that our human nature offers us.

21. The Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel

Yes, this is the song I led off with.

Songs with figurative language can also reference events real or imagined long ago.
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made... ...And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls" And whispered in the sound of silence
Paul Simon was clearly putting a 20th century technological twist on the ancient story from Exodus of the Israelites fashioning a golden calf and worshipping it in disobedience to Jehovah.

"The words of the prophets" also hints at other Old Testament stories.

Did Simon intend his song as a prophetic warning for his time? This is the kind of question that potent use of figurative language by a writer can elicit from attentive readers and listeners.

Figurative language opens us up emotionally with the use of telling details used in striking ways.

All of the songs I've used to illustrate figurative language here hold the skillful use of the well-placed, well-told detail in common. A dry message becomes poignant. A dated reference comes alive. A confusing point is illuminated.

Sometimes a human truth is subtle. It can't be captured directly by ordinary prose. It must be addressed obliquely.

By comparing two unlike things in such striking ways, we can get at that truth. The readers and listeners then experience that wonderful "ah-ha" moment.

If you write songs, try figurative language in your next efforts. You may be surprised at how effective it can be.
Read next: Songs with "baby" in the title Songs about pain, suffering, hurting and more Songs about missing someone you love Best songs about going through changes Best metaphorical food songs ever

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21 Best Songs with Figurative Language (Ever Made) - Music Grotto

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In the days of Simon and Garfunkle, a high school English teacher told his disbelieving students they already knew poetry. Eyebrows rose. The teacher didn't argue with them. He merely began to recite: Hello darkness, my old friendI've come to talk with you again The students' eyes lit up in recognition.

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When you think about figurative language, you may think of poetry or classic novels. You probably don't think about popular songs from the last several decades. However, many songs on the radio today and in the recent past are full of wonderful examples of figurative language.

Check out our list of ten songs with figurative language. It'll change the way you listen to music and make you appreciate the songwriters even more.

Our Top Picks: Songs with Figurative Language

" Bohemian Rhapsody* " is arguably Queen's most popular song and one of the most famous rock songs of all time. It tells the story of a young man who has killed someone, gone on the run but knows that he will eventually be caught and punished. Fans have speculated that the song is a metaphor for something more, but no one knows.

The song contains some outstanding elements of figurative language, such as:

"Caugh in a landslide
no escape from reality."

This line is a metaphor for feeling stuck by what is going on in your life and not being able to escape. It also contains allusions to the Bible and a 17th-century comedy.

Louis Armstrong's " What a Wonderful World* " is one of the most iconic songs of the past century. The simple tune encourages listeners to see the beauty in everything around them. The chorus pulls the piece together:

"And I think to myself
What a wonderful world."

It features a beautiful use of alliteration that makes the song memorable and timeless.

The song " Fireflies* " by Owl City lit up the airwaves in 2009. Users have speculated whether the song is about insomnia, lucid dreaming or moving from the innocence of childhood to adulthood. The song features extended use of figurative language like personification, as the fireflies take on some human-like qualities.

"As they tried to teach me how to dance
A foxtrot above my head
A sockhop beneath my bed."

Fireflies do not dance, but these lyrics paint some incredible imagery in the minds of listeners.

Duran Duran's 80s hit " Hungry Like the Wolf* " is an extended metaphor, comparing a man's pursuit of a beautiful woman with a wolf on the hunt for its prey. Almost every line lends itself to this metaphor. Additionally, the song's iconic title is a simile, a type of metaphor that uses the words "like" or "as."

"I'm on the hunt I'm after you.
Mouth is alive with juices like wine.
And I'm hungry like the wolf."

There are two similes in the lines above, comparing saliva to wine and romantic desire to a wolf's hunger.

" Let It Go*," sung by Idina Menzel, is the feature song of Disney's hit film, Frozen. The song appears at a pivotal moment when Elsa has run away after accidentally using her ice powers in front of a crowd. She decides to "let it go" and be herself, magical powers and all. The song is an extended metaphor, relating Elsa's complicated feelings about her abilities to an ice storm.

"The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside" is a simile, comparing the storm outside to the intense feelings Else is experiencing.

Vanessa Carlton's hit song " A Thousand Miles*," tells the story of a young woman making her way back home, but remembering that her loved one is no longer there. She sings the line:

"Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles
If I could just see you tonight."

This lyric is a use of hyperbole. She obviously cannot walk a thousand miles, but she is expressing how much she misses her ex.

Perhaps one of the saddest songs of all time, " I Am a Rock* " by Simon and Garfunkel, tells the story of a young man who has become a recluse to avoid pain. The famous lyrics:

"I am a rock
I am an island."

are a metaphor for the man's solitude. He relates himself to a rock and an island, something that is entirely alone.

Leonard Cohen's " Hallelujah* " didn't get much popularity until Jeff Buckley covered it. It has gone on to become one of the most covered songs in music history. There is much speculation about the song's meaning, but Cohen has only said that it is an attempt to find joy in the many messes of life. The song relates the Biblical story of David.

"Your faith was strong, but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you."

These lines are an allusion to David's adultery.

Alicia Key's song " Girl on Fire* " is an anthem for all the women in the world who are making it and winning at life, despite all of the hardships women face in modern society. Keys uses the metaphor of fire to describe the woman in her song, and all women in general.

"She's just a girl
And she's on fire."

The metaphor is extended throughout the song and, at points, becomes hyperbole. No one is actually on fire, but Keys uses the metaphor to say the girl is both strong and persecuted.

The song " Thunder* " by Imagine Dragons tells the story of a young man who was always different from his peers. He uses that difference to get ahead and find fame as a musician. The song features the line:

"I was lightning
before the thunder."

This line is a metaphor. The singer compares himself to lightning and uses the metaphor to show that he was always a step ahead of everyone else. The words "lightning" and "thunder" are repeated throughout the song, reiterating the metaphor.

Another pop anthem by the musical genius Sia, " Chandelier* " embraces figurative language. The talented artist uses the perfect blend of her amazing voice and figurative language to convey her need to indulge in extreme behaviors. In the chorus, Sia sings,

"I want to swing from the chandelier."

In this beautiful melody, Sia describes her battles with alcohol and substance abuse and the personal troubles she endured in her past. Although Sia touches on her personal troubles, it is a song that many people can still resonate with.

This upbeat pop song is a must-have for this list. In addition to having an uplifting upbeat melody, this catchy song will have you joyfully singing in a manner of seconds. Katy Perry's song "Fireworks" is filled with figures of speech as well. Even the title of the song is hyperbole. In the song, Katy uses the term fireworks to allude to people's inner light and stardom. A deeper analysis of the song highlights lyrics like "there's a spark in you" to depict the song's figurative nature.

Although " God's Plan* " may be categorized as hip-hop, it is another upbeat tune that is filled with figurative language. In this song, Drake highlights his road to fame and wealth while navigating through enemy territory. One line that exemplifies the figurative nature of this song is when Drake states that, "he might go down as G.O.D". This metaphor eludes to all the accomplishments and achievements Drake has acquired, which perhaps makes him immortal in the eyes of his fans. If the beat and tune of this song does not catch your attention, the deeper meaning definitely will.

Frank Sinatra's classic New York, New York* is another must-have on the list of figuratively speaking songs. Although Frank is actually referring to the big city of New York, there are several lines throughout the song with hyperboles and metaphors.

For example, on one line Frank speaks of waking up in the city that never sleeps. While this line shouldn't be taken literally, it speaks to the constant hustle and bustle of the big apple and the need to always be your best.

If you are looking for a song to lift your spirits, you may want to consider giving " Happy* " a listen to. Listening to this upbeat song, you cannot help but feel happy.

The song is sung by talented artist Pharell Williams, who uses his unique voice to convey a wonderful message. Although some of the lines in this song are written in figurative language and metaphors, it is still fairly easy to comprehend.

In " Love Story*," pop singer Taylor Swift delivers a loving portrayal of unrequited love. In her love story, Taylor describes forbidden love through the use of metaphors. In one part of the song, Taylor speaks about being a scarlet letter to her Romeo.

"You were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter."

Figuratively speaking, Taylor is noting that the guy she is in love with is her crime. Although Taylor Swift's Love Story is a bit mystified, it has a beautiful message worth listening to.

Another song filled with figurative language is " Animals* " by Maroon 5. In this portrayal of love, Maroon 5 unleashes their wild side and uses figurative language as a musical expression. Maroon 5 adds a new meaning to having an animal nature with lines like:

"hunt you down" and "I can smell your scent for miles"

Riddled with metaphors and hyperboles, this song is a thought-provoking musical composition that everyone can enjoy.

This list of songs cannot be completed without adding a song from Queen B. In her song " Halo* ", Beyonce uses figurative speech to describe her love as angelic. The chorus of the song repeats:

"I can see your halo."

This song features a beautiful melody along with its beautiful message. If you are looking for a figurative song with a positive message, you may want to give this one a listen to.

Another great song filled with figurative language you may want to listen to is " I'm Like a Bird*." In this song, Nelly Furtado uses similes to compare herself to being a bird free to fly.

"I'm like a bird, I want to fly away.
I don't know where my soul is.
I don't know where my home is."

It has a joyful tune and a hopeful message that is truly uplifting. In the song, Nelly speaks of not knowing where she is going or where her home. Although the line is a bit melancholy, listeners are reassured she will get to her destination by taking flight.

If you're looking for a more rocking version of figurative speech in song, try " Boulevard of Broken Dreams* " by Green Day. As one of the classics, this song takes listeners on a journey through a boulevard of hardships. The song starts with the somber lines:

"I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known.
Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me, and I walk alone."

If you are into rock music, this one may be right up your alley. In the song, Green Day describes the feeling of being alone in a world of broken dreams. Their use of figurative wordplay envelopes its deep meaning of being scared and alone to connect and resonate on a deeper level with their fans. If you have yet to hear this rock anthem, consider giving it a listen today.

So many songs include elements of figurative language. It gives artists a way to express themselves and adds another dimension to some of our favorite songs. You'll be surprised how many uses of figurative language you begin to notice on the radio.

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20 Best Songs with Figurative Language | Repeat Replay

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When you think about figurative language, you may think of poetry or classic novels. You probably don't think about popular songs from the last several decades. However, many songs on the radio today and in the recent past are full of wonderful examples of figurative language.

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Allusion in Poetry

Allusion and poetry seem to go hand in hand - each one makes the other stronger. An allusion is a word or phrase designed to call something to mind, without mentioning that thing explicitly. This something in poetry can be anything, from another literary work, to the Bible, to popular events. Read these examples carefully to see if you can find the connection before it is explained:

Short Examples of Allusion

1. His opponent was looking for his Achilles' heel to beat him.

2. The property tycoon named his housing society Eden Garden.

3. The decision of the apex court would certainly open Pandora's Box.

4. His best friend now considered him Brutus due to his recent betrayal.

5. Blake's fellow students call him Einstein for his genius.

6. The ship sank like a Titanic.

7. The renowned scholar suffered from narcissism.

8. Tony Buzan is called the Stephen Hawking of mind sciences.

9. The young writer was rightly called the Shakespeare of modern times.

10. The young scientist was called Newton by his colleagues.

11. He was called Hamlet because of his procrastinating habits.

12. The prices have gone so high that a common thing like wheat has become forbidden fruit.

13. An apple fell on his head but he discovered nothing.

14. To climb Mount Everest in winter was a Herculean task.

15. The film was based on the hero's platonic love.

Allusion Examples in Poetry

"All night the dread less Angel unpursued
Through Heaven's wide Champaign held his way; till Morn,
Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand
Unbarred the gates of Light. There is a cave
Within the Mount of God, fast by his Throne"

When talking about allusion, any conversation would not be complete without discussing the King of Allusion, 17th century English poet, John Milton. In these lines alone, we count no fewer than three allusions: one to Abdiel, one to the Greek Myth "The Horae," and one to Homer's " The Odyssey."

"Another age shall see the golden ear
Embrown the slope, and nod on the parterre,
Deep harvests bury all his pride has planned,
And laughing Ceres reassume the land."

Here, Pope is making an allusion to Demeter, the Goddess of Wheat and Grain, showing how this place will once again return to earth for plough.

"Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?"

"Tempe" is an allusion to the Vale of Tempe, where the gods gathered. This shows his utmost respect for the urn.

"Nothing prepares us for brilliant
entrance of creature of fantasy
or object of enchantment
Useless to resist its allure
always takes unawares"

This allusion is slightly different, as it is an open allusion, meaning that everyone can interpret it differently. Some see Greek mythology allusions, while other see Biblical allusions.

"All overgrown by cunning moss,
All interspersed with weed,
The little cage of ' Currer Bell'
In quiet 'Haworth' laid."

Here, Dickinson makes an allusion to another writer, Charlotte Bronte, who used Currer Bell as a pen name so she could be published.

"So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."

In this poem, Frost's allusion to Eden strengthens the theme of the fleeting nature of happiness. His mention of Eden shows that humans are often their own downfall.

"Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee
With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour."

Here, Eliot makes a reference to Starnbergersee and Hofgarten, which are important royal places in Germany. Instead of these actual places, however, they are meant to show the beauty of life.

Example #8:The Raven (by Edgar Alan Poe)

"Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my
chamber door-"

"Is there- is there balm in Gilead?-tell me-tell
me, I implore!"

Here are two allusions: One to Pallas to show the burst of wisdom, as Pallas is the Greek Goddess of Wisdom. The other is more obscure: "Balm in Gilead" is an old statement that was used to ask if there was comfort in the world.

Example #9:Dulce et Decorum Est (by Wilfred Owen)

"Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,-
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et Decorum Est
Pro patria mori."

" Dulce et decorum est " is an allusion to the start of World War I. These were the words uttered by many on the battle lines - meaning that it is sweet and right to die for your country.

"But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade."

Shakespeare's reference to "shade" is actually an allusion to the funeral psalm, or Psalm 23.

" Narcissus so himself himself forsook
And died to kiss his shadow in the brook."

The word in bold is used as an allusion, taken from the classical mythology where a handsome man falls in love with his own body and keeps looking at himself in the water.

"To say: " I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all -"

In the Bible, Lazarus has been raised by Jesus to tell what happened to him after his death. The poet says he is not Lazarus, who can do this, but a common man. This may refer to contrast in the lives of the poet and that of Lazarus.

"Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she-
O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason
Would have mourned longer!-married with my uncle"

The allusion is to Greek mythology, for the mother who wept for the death of her sons.

"Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more"

Pallas alludes to the Greek goddess of wisdom, Pallas Athena. The poet has used this allusion to show his love for learning and scholarship. It may also refer to the poet's rational approach.

In that beloved Vale to which, erelong,
I was transplanted ...

William Wordsworth has used an allusion of the valley where he spent his childhood. The word Vale has an initial capital, which points to his use of allusion.

"The lonely scarp
Of St Columb's College, where I billeted
For six years, overlooked your Bogside."

Seamus Heaney has used allusion in the shape of the name of his college. It is highlighted in the second line "St Columb's College."

Function of Allusion

The function of allusion is to add depth to a writing, allowing the author to refer to certain people, places, things, or happenings in a round-about manner, in order to create a more broad meaning. Allusions are everywhere in poetry, if one just knows where to look!

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Allusion defined and explained, with examples of allusion in literature

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Allusion and poetry seem to go hand in hand - each one makes the other stronger. An allusion is a word or phrase designed to call something to mind, without mentioning that thing explicitly. This something in poetry can be anything, from another literary work, to the Bible, to popular events.

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Poems, readings, poetry news and the entire 110-year archive of POETRY magazine.

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Literary devices are often used to enhance one's writing and make it more appealing or interesting to the reader. One popular literary device is the allusion. What does an allusion in poetry look like? And what are some allusion examples in literature?

In this article, we'll be giving you 11 allusion examples, from those in poetry and literature to ones often used in everyday conversation. We'll also go over two tips for identifying allusions in a text. But first, what is allusion exactly?

What Is Allusion?

An allusion is when an author or poet makes an indirect reference to some idea, figure, other text, place, or event that originates from outside the text. It could also refer to something that happens earlier in the text; this is often called an "internal allusion" (as opposed to a regular, or "external," allusion).

The verb form of the noun "allusion" is "allude," so you could state that a writer "alludes to" or "makes an allusion to" something. For instance, it's particularly common for writers from the West to make allusions in their works to the Bible and Greek or Roman mythology.

Allusions are subtle and indirect, hinting at something you're expected to know without explicitly telling you what it is.

The literary device is used to enhance the text, often by making it more relatable to the reader or by illustrating either an example or the text's overarching theme. Allusions are commonly used metaphorically but can also be used ironically.

Furthermore, because they can convey a ton of information in just one or a few words (assuming that the reader understands the allusion!), they are particularly popular among poets.

It's important that you do not confuse allusions with other (similar) literary devices. The following table gives an overview of the differences between allusions, allegories, and foreshadowing, all of which are common tools used in literature:

Allegory

Allusion

Foreshadowing

Meaning

A character, event, or place that represents a real-world problem or occurrence

An indirect reference to something that originates from outside the text (or something from earlier in the text)

An indirect reference to something that will occur later in the text

Now that you know what an allusion is, let's take a look at some allusion examples.

11 Allusion Examples + Analysis

Here, we're giving you 11 allusion examples from poetry, literature, and everyday speech so that you can get a better sense of what allusions look like and how they're used. We also provide you with a short analysis of each allusion example.

Here are the three types of allusions we'll be covering:

Allusion Examples in Poetry

What does an allusion in poetry look like? How does an allusion in poetry work?

The following allusion examples all come from famous poems and should give you an idea of the different types of allusions-from historical to Biblical to literary-you, too, can make.

All overgrown by cunning moss,
All interspersed with weed,
The little cage of "Currer Bell"
In quiet "Haworth" laid.

In this poem, famed American poet Emily Dickinson makes an allusion to Currer Bell, which was the pen name for English author Charlotte Brontë, who is most famous for her novel Jane Eyre. Dickinson also alludes to the English village of Haworth, where Brontë died and was later buried (or "laid," as the poem states).

The quotation marks hint to the reader that these two things (i.e., the name and the place) didn't merely come out of Dickinson's imagination. Still, you'd have to be familiar with Brontë herself to be able to make the connection here.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Here, iconic American poet Robert Frost makes an allusion to the Biblical Garden of Eden ("so Eden sank to grief") to strengthen this idea that nothing-not even Paradise-can last forever.

Assuming you're at least a little familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, you should know that the two of them were ultimately expelled from Paradise due to their eating of the forbidden fruit.

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.

T. S. Eliot's well regarded poem "The Waste Land" is filled to the brim with literary allusions, many of which are fairly obscure.

Immediately in this poem, Eliot thrusts an allusion at us: the mention of April being "the cruellest month" sharply contrasts with the opening of medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which describes April as a cheerful, lively month filled with stories, pilgrimages, and "sweet-smelling showers." To Eliot, April is exceptionally cruel because of the pain associated with the regeneration of life.

Being unaware of this literary connection here would make you miss the almost sarcastic play on words Eliot does with his antithetical view of April and spring as a whole.

Allusion Examples in Literature

It's popular to use allusion in poetry, but what about in (prose) literature, such as novels? Let's look at some famous allusion examples in literature to show how this device can be used effectively.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee

"Are we poor, Atticus?"

Atticus nodded. "We are indeed."

Jem's nose wrinkled. "Are we as poor as the Cunninghams?"

"Not exactly. The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them hardest."

This quotation from Harper Lee's renowned novel To Kill a Mockingbird contains an allusion to the "crash," that is, the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which resulted in the Great Depression.

The word "crash" alone could confuse readers who are unaware of the historical event or who do not understand when and where the novel takes place (answer: 1930s America, so right smack in the middle of the Great Depression).

The Outsiders (1967) by S. E. Hinton

"Ponyboy."

I barely heard him. I came closer and leaned over to hear what he was going to say.

"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold ... " The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died.

The line "Stay gold, Ponyboy" from S. E. Hinton's classic coming-of-age story is an example of both external and internal allusion.

Earlier on in the novel, Ponyboy and Johnny talk about Robert Frost's famous poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" (see above). In other words, this scene has a direct reference to a real poem that originated from outside the novel.

When Johnny later tells Ponyboy to "stay gold" as he lay dying, this is both an external allusion (in that it refers to the poem by Frost) and an internal allusion (in that it alludes to the boys' previous discussion and analysis of the poem).

1Q84 (2009) by Haruki Murakami

The allusion here isn't a specific quotation but rather the title of 2009 bestselling novel 1Q84 by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.

While English speakers might not see the connection right away, the title of this dystopian novel is an allusion to George Orwell's 1984. How? You see, in Japanese, the letter "Q" is pronounced the same way as the number nine, making the title sound as if you're saying "1984" or "one nine eight four" in Japanese.

Indeed, Murakami is well known for his allusions and references to Western pop culture, which is likely one of the reasons he has developed into an international sensation.

Allusion Examples in Everyday Speech

People use allusions every day, often without even realizing it. Here are some allusion examples you might've heard (or even said yourself!) in everyday conversation.

"Chocolate cake is my Achilles heel."

The allusion here is to "Achilles' heel," or the Greek myth about the hero Achilles and how his heel was his one weakness. In this case, the speaker's "weakness" is chocolate cake.

"He's a cool guy, but he becomes a lovesick Romeo every time he's around her."

This quotation alludes to the character of Romeo from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, wherein Romeo is head-over-heels in love with Juliet, causing him (and her) to act impetuously.

"We got a new Einstein in school today."

This allusion is to the real-life genius physicist Albert Einstein and means that the new student is extremely smart.

"Why are you always such a Scrooge? It doesn't cost much, and it'll be fun!"

This quotation makes an allusion to Ebenezer Scrooge, the central character in Charles Dickens' famous tale A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is known for being a selfish, curmudgeonly penny-pincher; therefore, calling someone a Scrooge is essentially calling them a cheapskate and a grouch.

"She's a good swimmer, but she's no Ariel."

This allusion is to the fairy tale (and famous Disney movie) "The Little Mermaid" about a mermaid named Ariel. Referring to someone as "no Ariel" implies that they're not as natural in the water as a mermaid would be.

2 Tips for Identifying a Literary Allusion in a Text

You likely noticed that some of the allusion examples we showed you weren't as obvious as others. It can be difficult to figure out whether what you're looking at is a literary allusion or not. Here, we give you two tips for identifying allusions in texts.

#1: Get Familiar With Common Allusions

Many writers use the same (or very similar) allusions in their texts. Therefore, if you can familiarize yourself with the major people, places, events, objects, and ideas that are alluded to in stories and poetry, you'll be better equipped to identify them right away.

As mentioned before, Biblical allusions, as well as allusions to Greek and Roman mythology, are common in Western texts. Here are some allusion examples to know in these categories:

Tower of Babel - Often used to describe the crumbling or tragic end of something

For more examples of Greek and Roman mythological allusions, check out this list on StudyLib. For more examples of Biblical allusions, look at this list on Infoplease.

#2: Look For Proper Nouns That Don't Fit With the Rest of the Text

Most allusions are connected to specific people, places, or pieces of art-in other words, all things that generally have proper nouns (i.e., capitalized names).

If you ever come across a proper noun in a book or poem that doesn't immediately ring a bell (and isn't mentioned again later on, meaning it's not a new character), then it's most likely an allusion to something originating from outside the world of the text.

What's Next?

Want to learn other common literary devices? We've got an extensive list of the 31 most useful literary devices to know, along with examples and explanations.

We also offer individual guides on helpful literary devices. Read all about personification, tone words, imagery, and similes vs metaphors.

If you're studying (or writing your own!) poetry, then you'll definitely want to know these major poetic devices and how they work.

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11 Allusion Examples in Literature, Poetry, and Life

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Literary devices are often used to enhance one's writing and make it more appealing or interesting to the reader. One popular literary device is the allusion. What does an allusion in poetry look like? And what are some allusion examples in literature?

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Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry4kids.com – Funny poems for children

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Making Comparisons with Simile and Metaphor - A Poetry Lesson Plan

This lesson plan uses descriptive examples to explain how to distinguish between and . Students will analyze poem excerpts to identify comparative phrases and pinpoint occurrences of similes and metaphors. Then, they will create their own similes and metaphors to explore how poets choose whether to use a simile or metaphor in a specific poem.

What's a Simile? What's a Metaphor?

and are poetic techniques that let us compare two different things in a descriptive way. Here are some examples.
Similes

I was standing perfectly still, like a statue.

The cafeteria stew was as tasteless as mud.

By tomorrow, our house will be as clean as a whistle.

Metaphors

My sister likes to go to bed early, but I'm a night owl.

You're such a chicken.

Life is a roller coaster of emotions.

Have you noticed the difference between similes and metaphors? A simile uses the word "like" or "as" to help make the comparison. (You can remember this by how the word simile looks like the word "similar.") On the other hand, a metaphor directly compares two things by saying that one actually is the other.

Read each poem excerpt. Underline the comparative phrase, and tell whether this comparison is a simile or a metaphor.

The Base Stealer (by Robert Francis)
Poised between going on and back, pulled
Both ways taut like a tightrope-walker...

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (by William Wordsworth)
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills...

Hope is the Thing with Feathers (by Emily Dickinson)
"Hope" is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul-
And sings the tune without the words-
And never stops-at all...

Sea-Fever (by John Masefield)
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife...

Exercise 2

Write 5 different similes about yourself. Here is one example:

When it's time for dinner, I'm as hungry as a tiger!

Then, change your similes into metaphors. Your example might look like this:

Last night at dinner, I was a tiger attacking my food!

Now look at the similes and metaphors that you have created. Which of your ideas works best as a metaphor? Which ones work best as a simile? Explain why you think so.

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This lesson plan uses descriptive examples to explain how to distinguish between and . Students will analyze poem excerpts to identify comparative phrases and pinpoint occurrences of similes and metaphors. Then, they will create their own similes and metaphors to explore how poets choose whether to use a simile or metaphor in a specific poem.

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The sky on a clear day is like the inside of a huge balloon swelling up, up, up into space. My cat is a wisp of smoke that slips between the gap in the fence on a cold morning. What do both of these sentences have in common? They use the wonderful tools of metaphors and similes to craft images.
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Metaphors and similes both compare two things. The original thing that's being described is called the "subject" of the metaphor or simile, and what the original is being compared to is the "object." Poets use metaphors and similes to compare two very different things that we wouldn't normally think of together, in order to bring up new ideas and surprising observations.

Now that we know their similarities, here are the differences:

Metaphor: compares two things directly without using "like" or "as"; the subject IS the object. Metaphors are more direct than similes, which can make them seem stronger or more surprising. Example: The sunrise this morning was an ocean of honey dusted with powdered sugar.

Simile: compares two things by saying they are "like" each other; the subject IS LIKE the object. Similes remind us that a comparison is being made, which sometimes makes them easier to understand and follow. Example: Falling in love feels like a thousand crickets jumping around in my chest.

Below are some examples of poems that use an overall metaphor or simile throughout the poem. For some teatime fun, try spotting the metaphors and similes in the following poems!

A Red, Red Rose
By Robert Burns
Harlem
By Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

"Hope" is the thing with feathers
By Emily Dickinson

Paint chip poetry: pick up paint chips at your local Walmart or paint store. Describe the color of your paint chip using metaphors or similes. Inspiration: this activity from Fabulous in Fifth.

Metaphor and simile poem: If you have older kids who are up for the challenge of writing their own poem, try this prompt from Miss Rumphius Effect. For more examples, check out A Year of Reading and Wild Rose Reader.

Metaphor Mad Libs: The Poetry Foundation has a wonderful post on learning about metaphor, simile, and other types of figurative language. If you scroll down, there is a fun Mad Libs activity to try! You could even create your own Mad Libs with blanks for some wild and creative comparisons!

List of children's books with similes and metaphors (not all poetry) from The Best Children's Books

Lesson plans for metaphor and simile from the National Endowment for the Humanities

A wonderful list of examples of metaphor poems for kids from Love to Know

List of books with figurative language from This Reading Mama

My Heart is Like a Zoo, by Michael Hall

Hello, Harvest Moon, by Ralph Fletcher

My Best Friend is Sharp as a Pencil, by Hanoch Pavin

Skin like Milk, Hairs of Silk, by Brian P. Cleary

Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen

My School's a Zoo!, by Stu Smith

Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices, by Paul Janeczko

It Figures!: Fun Figures of Speech, by Marvin Terban

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The sky on a clear day is like the inside of a huge balloon swelling up, up, up into space. My cat is a wisp of smoke that slips between the gap in the fence on a cold morning. What do both of these sentences have in common?

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Common Examples of Figurative Language in Poetry | Skill Success Blog

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Figurative language is important in poetry. You can find it in different types of literary works such as poems and stories.

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Figurative Languages are words and expressions used in poems and texts to convey various meanings and interpretations from the literal meaning. Figurative devices play major while writing poems, sonnets, or ballads. They are the best tool for a writer to appeal to the senses of the reader. These devices give the reader detailed, vivid, and expressive insights. It also gives dimension to poetry and allows the writer to say things with additional flair and color. The most common techniques of figurative languages you can find in poetry are Simile, Metaphor, Symbolism, Alliteration, Hyperbole, and many more. For a detailed list refer to this article: https://literarydevices.net/figurative-language/. Here are a few examples of figurative languages in a poetry
Ode to a Nightingale - John Keats

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,..
O for a beaker full of the warm South,
Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,....
Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,
Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow...
White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;
Fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves;...
Forlorn! the very word is like a bell
To toll me back from thee to my sole self!

Ode to a Nightingale is an extraordinary poem that relates life's suffering to the briefness of bird's song. Here simile is used to compare abandonment or loneliness to a bell. In the line, "for a beaker full of the warm south". The poet has used a metaphor to compare liquid with south country weather. In the verse, "where beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes" beauty is personified. The poet has used the apostrophe in "Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird". Here, he is directly addressing the bird.
Tartary- Walter De La Mare

And in the evening lamps would shine,
Yellow as honey, red as wine,

Her bird-delighting, citron trees
In every purple vale!

In the above lines, the poet uses the simile explicitly way. Yellow is compared to honey and red is to wine. The poet uses hyperbole for exaggeration, and for glorifying his dream. "The evening lamp would shine, yellow as honey red as wine." Here, the poet exaggerates the colors of light. The implicit comparison draws through metaphor as 'In every purple vale'.
Daffodils - W. W. Worth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,...
And dances with the daffodils.

In the first line, 'I wandered lonely as a cloud' The poet compares himself to a cloud by using a simile. Alliteration is used in 'Beside the lake, beneath the trees, And dances with the daffodils'. The sounds of 'b' and 'd' are in repetition. The poet has personified the daffodils as if the flowers can dance.
Because I could not stop for death - Emily Dickinson

He kindly stopped for me
The Carriage held but just Ourselves...
We passed the Setting Sun -

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground -

In this poem, death is personified as a male suitor throughout the poem, driving the cart slowly. The carriage is a metaphor for the final journey. The house is a metaphor for grave. Sunset is the symbol for the foreshadowing of death or old age.
All the world's a stage - William Shakespeare

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;...
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad...
second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

The idea behind this poem is fortune and fate. Shakespeare has beautifully used metaphors for seven stages of life. The visual imagery of lover, infant, and child display their character traits. The simile of 'creeping like a snail', 'sighing like a furnace', and 'beard like the pard' are remarkable.
Little Boy Blue - Mother Goose

Little Boy Blue,
Come blow your horn,
The sheep's in the meadow,
The cow's in the corn.
But where is the boy
Who looks after the sheep?
He's under a haystack,
Fast asleep.

'The sheep's in the meadow', 'cow's in the corn', and 'he's under haystack' are the imageries. Alliteration is used in ' little boy blue' as the consonant sound /b/ is repeated. The rhyme is an extended metaphor for the innocence of a child. The rhyme also has enjambment when she transfers the thought to the next line.
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening - Robert Frost

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,

The following verse, 'And miles to go before I sleep' is an extended metaphor for the journey of life where sleep is for death. Poet has personified the thinking of horse mildly in the second stanza and further when he signs to the rider with' bell'. The lake, snow, bell, and woods are imageries that appeal to our senses. Assonance is used in 'He gives his harness bells a shake'. The sound of /i/ come in quick succession in 'gives' and 'his'.
Patriot into traitor - Robert Browning

It was roses, roses, all the way,
With myrtle mixed in my path like mad:
The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
The church-spires flames, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day...
There's nobody on the house-tops now-
Just a palsied few at the windows set

In this poem, the poet presents how people change their mindsets using irony. For example, the fame and downfall of a leader. Political upheavals go parallel to ironic situations in the poem. In verse, "The house roofs seemed to heave and sway" the houses are personified and referred to the mob. The poem also begins with the image of the past, where a patriot is being welcomed warmly. The use of roses shows love, heaving, and swaying of rooftops is juxtaposed with the image of empty roofs.
Sailing to Byzantium - W. B. Yeats

In one another's arms, birds in the trees,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal

Imagery is used in 'In one another's arms, birds in the trees', 'O sages standing in God's holy fire' and 'Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing', which appeals our senses. Here 'Soul' is personified. In the line, 'A tattered coat upon a stick, unless" the poet has used the metaphor. Here, he compares himself to a scarecrow. "Consume my heart away; sick with desire", the Oxymoron is clear here sickness presents desire and desire is for passion.
Kubla Khan - S. T. Coleridge

As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon-lover!
And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail:

In verse, "huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail", the poet has used a simile to compare the fragments to hailstorm to show their impact. In the line, 'as if this earth in fast thick pant was breathing' earth is personified as if it can breathe like a human being. Alliteration is used in 'woman wailing for her demon-lover'; the sound of /w/ is repeated.

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Examples Of Figurative Language In Poetry - Literary Devices

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Figurative Languages are words and expressions used in poems and texts to convey various meanings and interpretations from the literal meaning. Figurative devices play major while writing poems, sonnets, or ballads. They are the best tool for a writer to...Read more →