Identify and analyse figures of speech used in London London by William Wordsworth - is a powerful poem It talks to a famous writer from the past John Milton Wordsworth uses beautiful language to express his thoughts Let s look at some special ways he uses words known as figures of speech Metaphor Wordsworth calls England a fen of stagnant waters This is a metaphor He means England is stuck and not moving forward It is like water that does not flow Apostrophe The poem begins with Milton This is an apostrophe Wordsworth is talking to Milton like he is there but Milton is not really there This shows how much Wordsworth wishes Milton could see England now Personification Wordsworth gives human qualities to Milton s soul He says it was like a Star and dwelt apart Stars don t really live alone Wordsworth means Milton was special and stood