It is a great thing, indeed, to make a proper use of the poetical forms, as also of compounds and strange words. But the ...

Some metaphors have aesthetic, as well as cognitive, functions. In literature and poetry, of course, writers use them to creatively express ideas, provoke empathy, and engage through imagery.

But metaphors are more than an aid to explanation: repeated metaphors affect the ways we perceive, think and act, for they shape our understanding of events. They also structure our attitudes ...

So accustomed are we to metaphors related to taste that when we hear a kind smile described as “sweet,” or a resentful comment as “bitter,” we most likely don’t even think of those words as metaphors.

Your Brain on Metaphors Neuroscientists test the theory that your body shapes your ideas By Michael Chorost September 1, 2014 Chronicle Review illustration by Scott Seymour The player kicked the ball.