Poeticism

A poeticism is a word or expression with a distinct elevated, solemn colouring, traditionally fixed to the language of poetry and unusual for everyday, neutral speech: "brow," "gold" (in elevated form), "maiden," "velvet," "the sky's edge." Poeticisms create a high stylistic register, lending the text festivity, lyrical elevation or Romantic mystery. Many poeticisms are of bookish or archaic origin, which underscores their remoteness from everyday language. In a literary work poeticisms express a concentration on the beautiful, an elevation above the prose of life. At the same time their excessive accumulation may turn into artificial prettiness, and so modern poetry often deliberately avoids traditional poeticisms. Poeticisms are an important category of stylistics, linked to the concept of the high style and the stylistic norm.