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Learn the characteristics and rules of different types of poems, from sonnets and villanelles to haiku and elegy. See examples of famous poets and get inspired to write your own poems in various styles.
Learn about the commonest and most important types of poem, from lyric to epic, and see examples of each form. Discover how poets use rhyme, metre, structure, and theme to create different effects and meanings.
- Sonnet. The invention of the sonnet is first accredited to the thirteenth-century Sicilian poet Giacomo da Lentini, who crafted the form as an ideal way of expressing ‘courtly love’.
- Ode. Ever get so excited about that new book you’ve been waiting to get your hands on, or that new game with amazing graphics, that you just want to tell everyone about it?
- Ballad. While most modern readers may be more familiar with 80s power ballads than the works of middle-English poets — poetry, culture, and music as we know it today will owe a lot to this form.
- Elegy. An elegy is a mournful poetic form, the origins of which can be traced back to a combination of Ancient Greek poetics and Old English scriptures from the 11th Century, written to lament a death.
- Lyric Poetry. Unlike narrative poetry that tells a story, lyric poetry is more focused on capturing a particular mood, moment, or sentiment. It is a genre of poetry that expresses personal emotions, thoughts, and observations.
- Narrative Poetry. Narrative poetry is a genre of poetry that tells a story or recounts a sequence of events. It uses poetic language and techniques to convey a plot, characters, and a sense of progression.
- Pastoral Poetry. Pastoral poetry is a genre that idealizes rural life and the beauty of nature. It depicts a romanticized and peaceful natural setting, often populated by shepherds, shepherdesses, and other pastoral figures.
- Dramatic Poetry. Dramatic poetry is a genre that mimics the conventions of theater or dramatic performance through dialogue or monologue. It is driven either by monologues or by dialogue between characters, providing insights into their thoughts, feelings, and interactions.
- Acrostic. You might remember writing acrostic poems in elementary school. In an acrostic poem, the lines are arranged so the first letter in each line helps to spell out a word.
- Ballad. There’s a reason so many songs are also called ballads—ballads are narrative poems characterized by their melodious rhyme scheme. A ballad can be any length, but it must be a series of rhyming quatrains.
- Elegy. Unlike our previous entries, there are no length or form rules for elegies. However, there is a content requirement: Elegies are about death. Generally, elegies are reflective and written to mourn an individual or group.
- Epic. There’s a reason the adjective epic refers to things that are huge, complex, and/or over-the-top: Epics are long, detailed poems that tell fantastical stories of larger-than-life characters.
Feb 13, 2024 · Paul Mazzola. Poetic forms. Structure. Examples. Poetic forms. The characteristics of a poem, which consist of its line length, number of stanzas, rhyme scheme, and metric pattern, determine its form. The following list identifies the most common types of poetry:
Jan 10, 2023 · From sonnets to limericks, free verse to haiku, these are the types of poetry students should learn. Plus, see inspiring examples of each.
