N

narrative - The telling of an event or series of events which makes up a story. One of the four main groups of poetry together with dramatic, didactic and lyric.

near rhyme - A rhyme in which, although close, the words used do not match in sound. As in " ...home / ...come". (See also half rhyme)

neologism - Use of new words or old words with new meanings. Some words stay in the language and change their meaning or develop new meanings as in "gay" or "cool", while others fade away like "fab". (See also nonce word, portmanteau word)

nonce word - A word coined or used for a special occasion or situation which has no wider use and drops out of usage. (See also neologism, portmanteau words)

nonsense poetry - Poetry with a strong metre and rhythm, containing words used out of context or words made for the poem which have no meaning but which appear to have meaning because of the context. (See also macaronic verse)

numen - A spiritual source of inspiration, usually an object, geographical phenomenon or place. (See also Muse, afflatus)

nursery rhyme - A short traditional rhyming poem, recited to and by children, sometimes instructive but often with its roots in a satirical or gruesome humour lost over the years.