POETIC SOUNDS

Sounds increase the understanding of a poem. Readers are able to catch the symbols or imagery bring expressed by sounds that accentuate the image. Different sounds can create different feelings or tones to a poem. There are sounds such as assonance. An example of this is in the poem Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold: "Where the moon meets the moon-blanched land." Arnold uses assonance here to slow down the line and reveal the overall tone of the poem - Sadness and tranquility.