What is the term for the repetition of the same initial sound in several words, often used in poetry?

The term for the repetition of the same initial sound in several words, often used in poetry, is alliteration. Alliteration creates a musical quality in writing and can enhance the mood, theme, or tone of a poem or a piece of literature. It draws attention to specific phrases and can make the text more memorable and engaging for the reader. By using alliteration, poets can evoke emotions and create rhythms that contribute to the overall experience of the poem.

In contrast, metaphor and simile are both figures of speech used to make comparisons, but they do not specifically focus on the repetition of sound. Metaphors imply a comparison without using "like" or "as," while similes do. Personification, on the other hand, attributes human characteristics to non-human entities, which also does not involve sound repetition. Thus, alliteration distinctly stands out as the correct answer in this context.