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Learn about the different types of poetry, from sonnet to free verse, in this ultimate guide featuring 28 examples.
- 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.
- 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.
- Acrostic. In an acrostic, the first letter of each line spells out a word or phrase that’s generally related to the topic of the poem. There are several different types of acrostic, including a double acrostic where both the first and last letter of each line spell out a message.
- Ballad. This is one of the oldest types of poetry, with ancient examples that were passed down orally through the centuries. A ballad tells the story of a person or event.
- Blackout Poetry. ADVERTISEMENT. These poems are unique in that they use something that’s already been written, and strike out most of the text to leave only selected words and phrases.
- Blank Verse. Blank verse doesn’t rhyme, but it’s a structured form of poetry in terms of meter. These poems are almost always written in iambic pentameter (da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM).
- 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.
Aug 31, 2022 · Poetry 101: Learn About Poetry, Different Types of Poems, and Poetic Devices With Examples. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Aug 31, 2022 • 8 min read. Poetry has been around for almost four thousand years. Like other forms of literature, poetry is written to share ideas, express emotions, and create imagery.
See the top 10 types of poems and learn about popular forms of poetry like acrostic, haiku, lyric, narrative, and rhyme and more. Learn rhyme schemes, structure, form, stanzas, style, rhythm, and meter, etc. for all forms of poetry.
