This paper analyses the figurative translatitional use of adjectives by poets in the Basque language. The author starts by analysing attributive qualifying adjectives and their stylistic and above all their metaphorical value. There is an overview of previous studies which corroborates the lack of poetic works until well into the XXth century, or nearly until the present time. Amongst the initiators of these studies we must mention Pierre Lafitte, Euskaltzaindia's Grammar, Patxi Altuna in the area of stylistics and Jon Kortazar, Karlos Otegi, Patziku Perurena and Amaia Iturbide in the area of poetics. The paper goes on to examine the poetic use of attibutive adjectives by five representative poets: Etxepare, Joannes Etxeberri from Ziburu, Pierre Topet Etxahun, Indalezio Bizkarrondo and Bitoriano Gandiaga. The analysis of their work shows the poetic level which has been achieved from the XVIth until the present. Special mention must be made of the XVII and XXth centuries because of their literary artifice. (Joan Otaegi)