Imagery

Definition:
Imagery is any poetic reference to the five senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste). Essentially, imagery is a group of words that create a mental image. Such images can be created by using figures of speech such as similes, metaphors, personification, and assonance. Homer’s description of dawn as “rosy-fingered” in the Odyssey is an example of his use of imagery.

Example Poem:
"Dream Deferred" 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 syrup sweet?

Maybe it just sags Like a heavy load

Or does it explode?

How Imagery Is Used:
In this poem imagery is used to make the reader use their senses. The author makes the readers feel like they’re in the poem and actually seeing what’s happening. Imagery is used when he says “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” because the reader can create a picture in his or her mind of how a raisin dries in the sun and get all wrinkled up. Imagery is also used when the author says “Or crust and sugar over- like a syrup sweet?” because you could imagine the taste of syrup in your mouth.