1. From "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe:
> *"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary..."*
* Alliteration: "dreary," "pondered," "weak," and "weary" all start with the "w" sound.
* Effect: This creates a somber and mournful tone, emphasizing the speaker's exhaustion and the gloom of the night.
2. From "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost:
> *"Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow."*
* Alliteration: "woods," "watch," and "woods" (repeated) all start with the "w" sound.
* Effect: The repetition of "woods" and the alliteration draw attention to the speaker's fascination with the snowy forest.
3. From "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas:
> *"Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow."*
* Alliteration: "good night," "good night," "sweet sorrow," and "say good night" all start with the "g" sound.
* Effect: The repetition and alliteration create a sense of urgency and insistence, emphasizing the speaker's plea to his father to resist death.
4. From "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost:
> *"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could..."*
* Alliteration: "Two roads," "travel both" and "long I stood" have the "t" sound.
* Effect: This alliteration emphasizes the speaker's internal conflict as he contemplates his choices.
These are just a few examples. Alliteration is a common literary device that can be used for a variety of effects, including:
* Adding emphasis to certain words or phrases.
* Creating a sense of rhythm and flow.
* Eliciting a particular emotion in the reader.
Do you want to see more examples of alliteration in poetry? I can provide you with more from different poets and styles. Just let me know!