3.3.3 Simile
A simile is a direct comparison that the writer/poet makes between two things that are not normally associated. The words "like" or "as" are used in the comparison.
Example:
His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast.
We are aware that a "brand" is a fire-lit torch. It is lively and red and bright. This comparison enables the reader to see with the mind's eye the emotional excitement being experienced by the highwayman as Bess, the Landlord's daughter, let down her long black hair through the casement to reach the highwayman below.