If we consider the purpose of poetry to be the elevation of a story beyond the mere conveyance of information, then poetic conventions are those tools and strategies that the poet utilizes to create an artistic interpretation of those details. For example, many poetic conventions such as alliteration can be found in normal prose, but not necessarily with intent. Poetic conventions presumably have a purpose for their incorporation, even if it's just to employ clever wordplay.
One of the most common poetic conventions utilized in Beowulf is alliteration, although it's not immediately obvious in translation because the alliterative effect doesn't always survive the translation process. For example, the following line;
Géatmecga léod, gilp gelæsted
which translates to "the Geatman's leader (i.e. Beowulf), his boast fulfilled", but this eliminates three of the four hard "g" consonants that create the alliterative effect in the original.
Another device commonly cited are the "kennings" which are an Old Norse-derived form of metaphor, useful for their imagery and the manner in which they expand the poet's vocabulary. One of the first kennings is "hronráde" on line 10, which translates to "whale-road" - the ocean. These metaphors also help to expand our understanding of the poet's intended tone in many places; for example, he describes Beowulf as "unlocking his word-hoard" to imply that he has a broad vocabulary, or calling muscles "bone-locks" in the process of describing Beowulf shattering them, thereby enhancing the qualities of Beowulf's strength.
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