Some things poets use to convey a meaning or image in their pieces are called literary devices. For example, rhyme, similes, and repetition may all be used in a poem. In the poem "The Highwayman" repetition is used to reinforce the graphicness of the end events. For example, in the lines "When they shot him down on the highway/Down like a dog on the highway" the repetition of "highway" helps convey where he is shot and how horrible it is. Not all poems use these devices, however. They can also simply use their rhythm to show emotions.