Poetry Terms: Symbol

Definition A person, a thing, or a place that is use to represent something.

Example

The bald eagle = the US, the star of David = the symbol of Judaism,  the cross = the symbol of Christianity, the sweater in "Sueter/Sweter" = the grandmother's love and caring.

Grandmother,

I'm cold;

can you knit me

some wrinkles?

"Sweater"

by Alberto Forcada
Significance In this case, poems use symbol are often for personal and surprising points. Using symbols will bring much alive description, instead of using the name again or 'it'. But also, it has to be specific so everyone read it will think of the same thing. If it is too general, then every different man kind with different live experience will misunderstood the poem/symbols.