Brian P. Cleary - Chips and Cheese and Nanas Knees: What Is Alliteration?

by Brian P. Cleary

illustrated by Martin Goneau

In memory of Peggy Murphy Ryan. B.P.C.

To Big Gib! M.G.

Alliteration:

The repetition

of a sound at the

beginning of two

or more words

that are near

one another

its called alliteration, as in,
Frances froze and frowned.

Y o u can find alliteration
in poems and prose and prayer,

and once you learn about it,
then youll see it e v erywhere!

Or Petals on the pink petunias
peacefully are picked.

These sounds are formed by
letters some identical,
some not

like, Sandy sewed a
suit for Sam

and Cool its
Kevins cot!

The same sound is repeated
once or twice or even more,

as in, The hike

with Hank

and Mike

Or here:

A knight arrives one night
and knocks upon our door.

He needs a knife so Nan,
his wife , can cut their
cake in four.

Or even Peter Piper picked
up pepperoni pie

whenhepoppedinthepizzaplaceheoftenpassesby.

Sometimes letters join to form
a single starting sound,

as in, The bride with
braids of brown

Or Brians brothers
Brad and Brent

have brought
banana bread,

while Charlie chipped in
cheesy chips

and chicken
wings instead.

Alliterations
seen in signs and
streets that might
surround you.

Its also in the songs you hear

and other stuff
around you.

Its on the news,
your shirt, your shoes,

in talk and
texts and
tweeting.

So what is alliteration?
Do you kn o w?

Alliteration can happen with
one letter ...

... two letters ...