by Carina
Humans have been expressing ourselves through poems for thousands of years, from ancient epics to sonnets. Poetry is arguably one of the most popular forms of writing, and for good reason. Like music and art, poetry allows us to express ourselves. It’s also enjoyable to read, oftentimes including aesthetically pleasing visuals or wordplay. Although I love poetry, I often find it difficult to digest, and especially write. This guide to the many genres of poetry is for anyone like me who wishes to understand more about the different types of poetry.
Free Verse: This type of poetry is pretty straightforward. It doesn’t have many rules or guidelines, allowing the poet to express themselves freely. Free verse poems don’t require rhyming, certain themes, and can be any length.
Limerick: Limerick poems are some of my favorites, because they are funny and lighthearted. Unlike free verse poems, limericks have some rules. They must be 5 lines, and follow an AABBA pattern of rhyming. This means the first, second, and fifth lines should all rhyme, while the third and fourth lines should also rhyme with each other.
Haiku: This genre of poem is short, yet extremely popular. It originated in Japan and is spreading throughout the world. It consists of seventeen syllables throughout three lines. There should be five syllables in the first line, followed by seven syllables in the second, and five again in the last. Also, haikus are usually about nature.
Blackout: Blackout poetry is one of the most visually appealing types of poetry. It starts with a page of words, typically from a book or short story, where you will identify words that correspond with a theme or tell a story. Then, you will color in the space around the words with a picture relating to the theme or fill it in with black.
Epic: Epic poems tell tales of heroic adventures. They’re typically fictional or historical with some dramatic effect. These poems can be very long, even book length at times. Because of their impressive length, epic poems are very detailed with amazing storytelling.
Ode: Ode poems are dedicated, in celebration, to a person, idea, place, or object. They usually have a formal and serious tone, but aren’t very strict with rules such as size and rhyming.
Sonnet: Many people have heard of sonnet poems in school, because they were popularised by Shakespeare. They consist of fourteen lines, and typically follow an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme pattern, although there are other variations.
Acrostic: Similar to blackout poems, acrostic poems are also visually pleasing. These poems are very common for exercises in school, so it’s likely you’ve seen one. In acrostic poems, the first letter of each line spells out a word. For example, if the first letter of line one was L, line two was O, line three was V, and line four was E, they would spell out the word love. Oftentimes these poems have a similar theme to the word they spell out.
Elegy: Although elegies don't have strict rules, they do have a thematic guideline. They are about death, mourning, and loss, but can contain hopeful messages.
Villanelle: This genre of poem has quite strict rules. It has nineteen lines, broken into five tercets (3 line stanzas/groups), and one quatrain (4 line stanza/group). The tercets of this poem follow an ABA rhyming pattern, while the quatrains follow an ABAA pattern. There is also a lot of repetition in villanelle poems. Line one should repeat in lines six, twelve, and eighteen. Line three should repeat in lines nine, fifteen, and nineteen. These poems are usually about admiration and obsession.
Reading and writing poetry don’t have to be confusing. Exploring the foundation of poetic genres can help us interpret them and understand how poetry works. As I learn more about poetry, it becomes more enjoyable for me. I hope that you can say the same after reading this deep dive.
References:
“What Is Poetry? Definition, Characteristics and Types.” Domestika, www.domestika.org/en/blog/11367-what-is-poetry-definition-characteristics-and-types. Accessed Dec. 2024.
Kramer, Lindsay. “11 Types of Poetry to Know, with Examples.” Grammarly Blog, 13 Apr. 2023, www.grammarly.com/blog/creative-writing/types-of-poetry/. Accessed Dec. 2024.
“What Is an Ode? Definition and Examples.” Poem Analysis, poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/ode/. Accessed Dec. 2024.
“18 Poetic Forms Every Poet Should Know.” BBC Maestro, 24 Nov. 2023, www.bbcmaestro.com/blog/poetic-forms. Accessed Dec. 2024.
Bergman, Bennet. "Villanelle." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 5 May 2017. Web. 17 Dec 2024.
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