poetic device: Idioms

An idiom is a common expression that has a different meaning than the literal meaning of the words. For example, to say that someone “kicked the bucket” means that they died, not that they actually kicked a bucket, and to describe something as “a piece of cake” means it is very easy, not a literal slice of cake.

Each of these poems include at least one idiom, often in the final line of the poem, but sometimes more. See if you can find the idioms in each of these poems.

I Finished My Homework
Sleeping Santa
On Halloween Night
My Dog Likes to Dig
My Mother Drives Me Everywhere
Bob’s Job
The Armpit of Doom
Homework, I Love You
Foolish Fiona
Zzzzz
When Chemists Die, They Barium
My Chicken’s On the Internet
Steve the Superhero
Everything We Learn at School
My Brother’s a Genius
Stumblebum Stan
Our Family Picnic
A Shark is a Pet
Cara’s Parrot
A Pair of Potatoes Were Talking
The Dragons of Monster Town
Forty Purple Porpoises
If You Ever Meet an Elephant
Molly Has a Myna Bird