Poetry

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This article is about the art form. For other uses,
see Poetry (disambiguation).
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E
"Poem", "Poems", and "Poetic" redirect here. For
other uses, see Poem (disambiguation), Poems
(disambiguation), and Poetic (disambiguation).
Poetry +from the %reek poiesis , -./0123 ,
meanin! a 4makin!4, seen also in s$ch terms as
4hemo poiesis45 more narro(ly, the makin! of poetry6
is a form of literary art (hich $ses aesthetic and
rhythmic
7897:97;9
<$alities of lan!$a!e,s$ch
as phonaesthetics, so$nd sym=olism, and metre,to
evoke meanin!s in addition to, or in place of,
the prosaicostensi=le meanin!>
Poetry has a lon! history, datin! =ack to
the S$merian Epic of Gilgamesh> Early poems
evolved from folk son!s s$ch as the Chinese Shiing,
or from a need to retell oral epics, as (ith
the Sanskrit !edas, ?oroastrian Gathas, and
the &omericepics, the "liad and the #dyssey> @ncient
attempts to define poetry, s$ch as @ristotleAs Poetics,
foc$sed on the $ses
ofspeech in rhetoric, drama, son! and comedy> Later
attempts concentrated on feat$res s$ch as
repetition, verse formand rhyme, and emphasi)ed the
aesthetics (hich distin!$ish poetry from more
o=BectivelyCinformative, prosaic forms of (ritin!>
From the midC:Dth cent$ry, poetry has sometimes
=een more !enerally re!arded as a f$ndamental
creative act employin! lan!$a!e>
Poetry $ses forms and conventions to s$!!est
differential interpretation to (ords, or to evoke
emotive responses> Devices s$ch
as assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm
are sometimes $sed to
achieve m$sical orincantatory effects> he $se
of am=i!$ity, sym=olism, irony and
other stylistic elements of poetic diction often leaves
a poem open to m$ltiple interpretations> Similarly
fi!$res of speech s$ch
as metaphor, simile and metonymy
7E9
create a
resonance =et(een other(ise disparate ima!es,a
layerin! of meanin!s, formin! connections
previo$sly not perceived> Findred forms of resonance
may eGist, =et(een individ$al verses, in their patterns
of rhyme or rhythm>
Some poetry types are specific to
partic$lar c$lt$res and !enres and respond to
characteristics of the lan!$a!e in (hich the poet
(rites> Readers acc$stomed to identifyin! poetry
(ith Dante, %oethe, Mickie(ic) and R$mi may think
of it as (ritten in lines =ased on rhyme and
re!$larmeter5 there are, ho(ever, traditions, s$ch
as "i=lical poetry, that $se other means to create
rhythm and e$phony> M$ch modern poetry reflects a
criti<$e of poetic tradition,
7H9
playin! (ith and testin!,
amon! other thin!s, the principle of e$phony itself,
sometimes alto!ether for!oin! rhyme or set rhythm>
7I9
7J9
Kn todayAs increasin!ly !lo=ali)ed (orld, poets
often adapt forms, styles and techni<$es from diverse
c$lt$res and lan!$a!es>
Contents
7hide9
8 &istory
o 8>8 Western traditions
o 8>: :DthCcent$ry disp$tes
: Elements
o :>8 Prosody
:>8>8 Rhythm
:>8>: Meter
:>8>; Metrical patterns
o :>: Rhyme, alliteration, assonance
:>:>8 Rhymin! schemes
o :>; Form
:>;>8 Lines and stan)as
:>;>: *is$al presentation
o :>E Diction
; Forms
o ;>8 Sonnet
o ;>: Shi
o ;>; *illanelle
o ;>E anka
o ;>H &aik$
o ;>I #de
o ;>J %ha)al
E %enres
o E>8 Narrative poetry
o E>: Epic poetry
o E>; Dramatic poetry
o E>E Satirical poetry
o E>H Li!ht poetry
o E>I Lyric poetry
o E>J Ele!y
o E>L *erse fa=le
o E>M Prose poetry
o E>8D Spec$lative poetry
H See also
I Notes
J F$rther readin!
o J>8 @ntholo!ies
&istory7edit9
@ristotle
$ain articles% &istory of poetry and 'iterary theory
Poetry as an art form may predate literacy>
7L9
Epic
poetry, from the Kndian !edas +8JDDN8:DD "C6
and ?oroasterAs Gathas to the#dyssey +LDDNIJH "C6,
appears to have =een composed in poetic form to aid
memori)ation and oral transmission, in prehistoric
and ancient societies>
7M9
#ther forms of poetry
developed directly from folk son!s> he earliest
entries in the ancient compilation Shiing, (ere
initially lyrics, precedin! later entries intended to =e
read>
78D9
he oldest s$rvivin! epic poem is the Epic of
Gilgamesh, from the ;rd millenni$m "C
in S$mer +in Mesopotamia, no( Kra<6, (hich (as
(ritten in c$neiform script on clay ta=lets and,
later, papyr$s>
7889
#ther ancient epic poetry incl$des
the %reek epics "liad and#dyssey, the #ld
Kranian =ooks the Gathic ()esta and *asna,
the Roman national epic, *ir!ilAs (eneid, and
the Kndian epics +amayana and $ahabharata>
he efforts of ancient thinkers to determine (hat
makes poetry distinctive as a form, and (hat
distin!$ishes !ood poetry from =ad, res$lted in
4poetics4,the st$dy of the aesthetics of poetry>
78:9
Some ancient poetic traditions5 s$ch as,
conteGt$ally, Classical Chinese poetry in the case of
the Shiing +,lassic of Poetry6, (hich records the
development of poetic canons (ith rit$al and
aesthetic importance>
78;9
More recently, thinkers have
str$!!led to find a definition that co$ld encompass
formal differences as !reat as those =et(een
Cha$cerAs ,anterbury Tales and Mats$o "ashOAs #-u
no &osomichi, as (ell as differences in conteGt
spannin! anakh reli!io$s poetry, love poetry,
and rap>
78E9
Western traditions7edit9
Pohn Feats
Classical thinkers employed classification as a (ay to
define and assess the <$ality of poetry> Nota=ly, the
eGistin! fra!ments of @ristotleAsPoetics descri=e three
!enres of poetry,the epic, the comic, and the tra!ic
,and develop r$les to distin!$ish the hi!hestC<$ality
poetry in each !enre, =ased on the $nderlyin!
p$rposes of the !enre>
78H9
Later aestheticians identified three maBor !enresQ
epic poetry, lyric poetry, anddramatic poetry,
treatin! comedy and tra!edy as s$=!enres of dramatic
poetry>
78I9
@ristotleAs (ork (as infl$ential thro$!ho$t the
Middle East d$rin! the Kslamic %olden @!e,
78J9
as
(ell as in E$rope d$rin! the Renaissance>
78L9
Later
poets and aestheticians often distin!$ished poetry
from, and defined it in opposition to prose, (hich
(as !enerally $nderstood as (ritin! (ith a proclivity
to lo!ical eGplication and a linear narrative str$ct$re>
78M9
his does not imply that poetry is illo!ical or lacks
narration, =$t rather that poetry is an attempt to
render the =ea$tif$l or s$=lime (itho$t the =$rden of
en!a!in! the lo!ical or narrative tho$!ht process>
En!lish Romantic poet Pohn Feats termed this escape
from lo!ic 4Ne!ative Capa=ility4>
7:D9
his 4romantic4
approach vie(s form as a key element of s$ccessf$l
poetry =eca$se form is a=stract and distinct from the
$nderlyin! notional lo!ic> his approach remained
infl$ential into the :Dth cent$ry>
7:89
D$rin! this period, there (as also s$=stantially more
interaction amon! the vario$s poetic traditions, in
part d$e to the spread of E$ropean colonialism and
the attendant rise in !lo=al trade>
7::9
Kn addition to a
=oom in translation, d$rin! the Romantic period
n$mero$s ancient (orks (ere rediscovered>
7:;9
20thcentury disputes7edit9
@rchi=ald MacLeish
Some :DthCcent$ry literary theorists, relyin! less on
the opposition of prose and poetry, foc$sed on the
poet as simply one (ho creates $sin! lan!$a!e, and
poetry as (hat the poet creates>
7:E9
he $nderlyin!
concept of the poet as creator is not $ncommon, and
some modernist poets essentially do not distin!$ish
=et(een the creation of a poem (ith (ords, and
creative acts in other media> Ret other modernists
challen!e the very attempt to define poetry as
mis!$ided>
7:H9
he reBection of traditional forms and str$ct$res for
poetry that =e!an in the first half of the :Dth cent$ry
coincided (ith a <$estionin! of the p$rpose and
meanin! of traditional definitions of poetry and of
distinctions =et(een poetry and prose, partic$larly
!iven eGamples of poetic prose and prosaic poetry>
N$mero$s modernist poets have (ritten in nonC
traditional forms or in (hat traditionally (o$ld have
=een considered prose, altho$!h their (ritin! (as
!enerally inf$sed (ith poetic diction and often (ith
rhythm and tone esta=lished =y nonCmetrical means>
While there (as a s$=stantial formalist reaction
(ithin the modernist schools to the =reakdo(n of
str$ct$re, this reaction foc$sed as m$ch on the
development of ne( formal str$ct$res and syntheses
as on the revival of older forms and str$ct$res>
7:I9
Recently, postmodernism has come to convey more
completely prose and poetry as distinct entities, and
also amon! !enres of poetry, as havin! meanin! only
as c$lt$ral artifacts> Postmodernism !oes =eyond
modernismAs emphasis on the creative role of the
poet, to emphasi)e the role of the reader of a teGt
+&ermene$tics6, and to hi!hli!ht the compleG c$lt$ral
(e= (ithin (hich a poem is read>
7:J9
oday,
thro$!ho$t the (orld, poetry often incorporates
poetic form and diction from other c$lt$res and from
the past, f$rther confo$ndin! attempts at definition
and classification that (ere once sensi=le (ithin a
tradition s$ch as the Western canon>
7:L9
Elements7edit9
Prosody7edit9
$ain article% $eter (poetry)
Prosody is the st$dy of the meter, rhythm,
and intonation of a poem> Rhythm and meter are
different, altho$!h closely related>
7:M9
Meter is the
definitive pattern esta=lished for a verse +s$ch
as iam=ic pentameter6, (hile rhythm is the act$al
so$nd that res$lts from a line of poetry> Prosody also
may =e $sed more specifically to refer to
the scannin! of poetic lines to sho( meter>
7;D9
!hythm7edit9
$ain articles% Timing (linguistics), tone (linguistics),
and Pitch accent
Ro=inson Peffers
he methods for creatin! poetic rhythm vary across
lan!$a!es and =et(een poetic traditions> Lan!$a!es
are often descri=ed as havin! timin! set primarily
=y accents, sylla=les, or moras, dependin! on ho(
rhythm is esta=lished, tho$!h a lan!$a!e can =e
infl$enced =y m$ltiple approaches> Papanese is
a moraCtimed lan!$a!e> Sylla=leCtimed lan!$a!es
incl$de Latin, Catalan, French,Leonese, %alician and
Spanish> En!lish, R$ssian and, !enerally, %erman are
stressCtimed lan!$a!es>
7;89
*aryin! intonation also
affects ho( rhythm is perceived> Lan!$a!es can rely
on either pitch, s$ch as in *edic Sanskrit or @ncient
%reek, or tone> onal lan!$a!es incl$de Chinese,
*ietnamese, Lith$anian, and most S$=saharan
lan!$a!es>
7;:9
Metrical rhythm !enerally involves precise
arran!ements of stresses or sylla=les into repeated
patterns called feet (ithin a line> Kn Modern En!lish
verse the pattern of stresses primarily differentiate
feet, so rhythm =ased on meter in Modern En!lish is
most often fo$nded on the pattern of stressed and
$nstressed sylla=les +alone or elided6>
7;;9
Kn
the classical lan!$a!es, on the other hand, (hile
the metrical $nits are similar, vo(el len!th rather
than stresses define the meter>
7;E9
#ld En!lish poetry
$sed a metrical pattern involvin! varied n$m=ers of
sylla=les =$t a fiGed n$m=er of stron! stresses in each
line>
7;H9
he chief device of ancient &e=re( "i=lical poetry,
incl$din! many of the psalms, (as parallelism, a
rhetorical str$ct$re in (hich s$ccessive lines
reflected each other in !rammatical str$ct$re, so$nd
str$ct$re, notional content, or all three> Parallelism
lent itself to antiphonal or callCandC
responseperformance, (hich co$ld also =e reinforced
=y intonation> h$s, "i=lical poetry relies m$ch less
on metrical feet to create rhythm, =$t instead creates
rhythm =ased on m$ch lar!er so$nd $nits of lines,
phrases and sentences>
7;I9
Some classical poetry
forms, s$ch as *enpa of the amil lan!$a!e, had ri!id
!rammars +to the point that they co$ld =e eGpressed
as a conteGtCfree !rammar6 (hich ens$red a rhythm>
7;J9
Kn Chinese poetry, tones as (ell as stresses create
rhythm> Classical Chinese poetics identifies fo$r
tonesQ the level tone, risin! tone, departin! tone,
and enterin! tone>
7;L9
he formal patterns of meter $sed in Modern En!lish
verse to create rhythm no lon!er dominate
contemporary En!lish poetry> Kn the case of free
verse, rhythm is often or!ani)ed =ased on looser $nits
of cadence rather than a re!$lar meter> Ro=inson
Peffers, Marianne Moore, and William Carlos
Williams are three nota=le poets (ho reBect the idea
that re!$lar accent$al meter is critical to En!lish
poetry>
7;M9
Peffers eGperimented (ith spr$n! rhythm as
an alternative to accent$al rhythm>
7ED9
Meter7edit9
$ain article% Systems of scansion
Kn the Western poetic tradition, meters are
c$stomarily !ro$ped accordin! to a
characteristic metrical foot and the n$m=er of feet per
line>
7E89
he n$m=er of metrical feet in a line are
descri=ed $sin! %reek terminolo!yQ tetrameter for
fo$r feet and heGameter for siG feet, for eGample>
7E:9
h$s, 4iam=ic pentameter4 is a meter comprisin!
five feet per line, in (hich the predominant kind of
foot is the 4iam=4> his metric system ori!inated in
ancient %reek poetry, and (as $sed =y poets s$ch
as Pindar and Sappho, and =y the
!reat tra!edians of @thens> Similarly, 4dactylic
heGameter4, comprises siG feet per line, of (hich the
dominant kind of foot is the 4dactyl4> Dactylic
heGameter (as the traditional meter of %reek epic
poetry, the earliest eGtant eGamples of (hich are the
(orks of &omer and &esiod>
7E;9
Kam=ic pentameter
and dactylic heGameter (ere later $sed =y a n$m=er
of poets, incl$din! William Shakespeare and &enry
Wads(orth Lon!fello(, respectively>
7EE9
he most
common metrical feet in En!lish areQ
7EH9
&omer
iam= N one $nstressed sylla=le follo(ed =y a
stressed sylla=le +e>!> descri"e, Knclude, retract6
trochee N one stressed sylla=le follo(ed =y
an $nstressed sylla=le +e>!> pict$re, flo#er6
dactyl N one stressed sylla=le follo(ed =y
t(o $nstressed sylla=les +e>!>annotate anCnoC
tate6
anapest N t(o $nstressed sylla=les follo(ed
=y one stressed sylla=le +e>!> comprehend comC
preChend6
spondee N t(o stressed sylla=les to!ether
+e>!> eCnou$h6
pyrrhic N t(o $nstressed sylla=les to!ether
+rare, $s$ally $sed to end dactylic heGameter6
here are a (ide ran!e of names for other types of
feet, ri!ht $p to a choriam=, a fo$r sylla=le metric
foot (ith a stressed sylla=le follo(ed =y t(o
$nstressed sylla=les and closin! (ith a stressed
sylla=le> he choriam= is derived from some
ancient %reek and Latin poetry>
7E;9
Lan!$a!es (hich
$tili)e vo(el len!th or intonation rather than or in
addition to sylla=ic accents in determinin! meter,
s$ch as #ttoman $rkish or *edic, often have
concepts similar to the iam= and dactyl to descri=e
common com=inations of lon! and short so$nds>
7EI9
Each of these types of feet has a certain 4feel,4
(hether alone or in com=ination (ith other feet> he
iam=, for eGample, is the most nat$ral form of rhythm
in the En!lish lan!$a!e, and !enerally prod$ces a
s$=tle =$t sta=le verse>
7EJ9
Scannin! meter can often
sho( the =asic or f$ndamental pattern $nderlyin! a
verse, =$t does not sho( the varyin! de!rees
of stress, as (ell as the differin! pitches
and len!ths of sylla=les>
7EL9
Kll$stration =y &enry &oliday to Le(is CarrollAs4he
&$ntin! of the Snark4, (hich is (ritten mainly
inanapestic tetrameter>
here is de=ate over ho( $sef$l a m$ltiplicity of
different 4feet4 is in descri=in! meter> For
eGample, Ro=ert Pinsky has ar!$ed that (hile dactyls
are important in classical verse, En!lish dactylic
verse $ses dactyls very irre!$larly and can =e =etter
descri=ed =ased on patterns of iam=s and anapests,
feet (hich he considers nat$ral to the lan!$a!e>
7EM9
@ct$al rhythm is si!nificantly more compleG than
the =asic scanned meter descri=ed a=ove, and many
scholars have so$!ht to develop systems that (o$ld
scan s$ch compleGity> *ladimir Na=okov noted that
overlaid on top of the re!$lar pattern of stressed and
$nstressed sylla=les in a line of verse (as a separate
pattern of accents res$ltin! from the nat$ral pitch of
the spoken (ords, and s$!!ested that the term 4sc$d4
=e $sed to distin!$ish an $naccented stress from an
accented stress>
7HD9
Metrical patterns7edit9
$ain article% $eter (poetry)
Different traditions and !enres of poetry tend to $se
different meters, ran!in! from the
Shakespearean iam=ic pentameter and the
&omeric dactylic heGameter to the anapestic
tetrameter $sed in many n$rsery rhymes> &o(ever, a
n$m=er of variations to the esta=lished meter are
common, =oth to provide emphasis or attention to a
!iven foot or line and to avoid =orin! repetition> For
eGample, the stress in a foot may =e inverted,
a caes$ra +or pa$se6 may =e added +sometimes in
place of a foot or stress6, or the final foot in a line
may =e !iven a feminine endin! to soften it or =e
replaced =y a spondee to emphasi)e it and create a
hard stop> Some patterns +s$ch as iam=ic pentameter6
tend to =e fairly re!$lar, (hile other patterns, s$ch as
dactylic heGameter, tend to =e hi!hly irre!$lar>
7H89
Re!$larity can vary =et(een lan!$a!e> Kn addition,
different patterns often develop distinctively in
different lan!$a!es, so that, for eGample, iam=ic
tetrameter in R$ssian (ill !enerally reflect a
re!$larity in the $se of accents to reinforce the meter,
(hich does not occ$r, or occ$rs to a m$ch lesser
eGtent, in En!lish>
7H:9
@leGander P$shkin
Some common metrical patterns, (ith nota=le
eGamples of poets and poems (ho $se them, incl$deQ

Kam=ic pentameter +Pohn Milton in Paradise

'ost, William Shakespeare in his Sonnets6
7H;9

Dactylic
heGameter +&omer, "liad. *ir!il, @eneid6
7HE9

Kam=ic tetrameter +@ndre( Marvell, 4o &is

Coy Mistress45 @leksandr P$shkin, Eugene
#negin, Ro=ert Frost, Stopping by /oods on a
Sno0y E)ening6
7HH9

rochaic octameter +Ed!ar @llan Poe, 4he

Raven46
7HI9

@leGandrine +Pean Racine, Ph1dre6

7HJ9
!hyme% alliteration% assonance7edit9
he #ld En!lish epic poem 2eo0ulf is (ritten
inalliterative verse andpara!raphs, not in lines
orstan)as>
$ain articles% +hyme, (lliterati)e )erse,
and (ssonance
Rhyme, alliteration, assonance and consonance are
(ays of creatin! repetitive patterns of so$nd> hey
may =e $sed as an independent str$ct$ral element in a
poem, to reinforce rhythmic patterns, or as an
ornamental element>
7HL9
hey can also carry a
meanin! separate from the repetitive so$nd patterns
created> For eGample, Cha$cer $sed heavy alliteration
to mock #ld En!lish verse and to paint a character as
archaic>
7HM9
Rhyme consists of identical +4hardCrhyme46 or similar
+4softCrhyme46 so$nds placed at the ends of lines or at
predicta=le locations (ithin lines +4internal rhyme46>
Lan!$a!es vary in the richness of their rhymin!
str$ct$res5 Ktalian, for eGample, has a rich rhymin!
str$ct$re permittin! maintenance of a limited set of
rhymes thro$!ho$t a len!thy poem> he richness
res$lts from (ord endin!s that follo( re!$lar forms>
En!lish, (ith its irre!$lar (ord endin!s adopted from
other lan!$a!es, is less rich in rhyme>
7ID9
he de!ree
of richness of a lan!$a!eAs rhymin! str$ct$res plays a
s$=stantial role in determinin! (hat poetic forms are
commonly $sed in that lan!$a!e>
7I89
@lliteration is the repetition of letters or letterCso$nds
at the =e!innin! of t(o or more (ords immediately
s$cceedin! each other, or at short intervals5 or the
rec$rrence of the same letter in accented parts of
(ords> @lliteration and assonance played a key role
in str$ct$rin! early %ermanic, Norse and #ld En!lish
forms of poetry> he alliterative patterns of early
%ermanic poetry inter(eave meter and alliteration as
a key part of their str$ct$re, so that the metrical
pattern determines (hen the listener eGpects
instances of alliteration to occ$r> his can =e
compared to an ornamental $se of alliteration in most
Modern E$ropean poetry, (here alliterative patterns
are not formal or carried thro$!h f$ll stan)as>
@lliteration is partic$larly $sef$l in lan!$a!es (ith
less rich rhymin! str$ct$res> @ssonance, (here the
$se of similar vo(el so$nds (ithin a (ord rather than
similar so$nds at the =e!innin! or end of a (ord, (as
(idely $sed in skaldicpoetry, =$t !oes =ack to the
&omeric epic>
7I:9
"eca$se ver=s carry m$ch of the
pitch in the En!lish lan!$a!e, assonance can loosely
evoke the tonal elements of Chinese poetry and so is
$sef$l in translatin! Chinese poetry>
7I;9
Consonance
occ$rs (here a consonant so$nd is repeated
thro$!ho$t a sentence (itho$t p$ttin! the so$nd only
at the front of a (ord> Consonance provokes a more
s$=tle effect than alliteration and so is less $sef$l as a
str$ct$ral element>
7I89
!hymin$ schemes7edit9
Dante and "eatricesee %od as a point of li!ht
s$rro$nded =y an!els> @DorS ill$stration to the3i)ine
,omedy, Paradiso, Canto :L>
$ain article% +hyme scheme
Kn many lan!$a!es, incl$din! modern E$ropean
lan!$a!es and @ra=ic, poets $se rhyme in set patterns
as a str$ct$ral element for specific poetic forms, s$ch
as =allads, sonnets and rhymin! co$plets> &o(ever,
the $se of str$ct$ral rhyme is not $niversal even
(ithin the E$ropean tradition> M$ch modern poetry
avoids traditional rhyme schemes> Classical %reek
and Latin poetry did not $se rhyme>
7IE9
Rhyme entered
E$ropean poetry in the &i!h Middle @!es, in part
$nder the infl$ence of the @ra=ic lan!$a!e in @l
@ndal$s +modern Spain6>
7IH9
@ra=ic lan!$a!e poets
$sed rhyme eGtensively from the first development of
literary @ra=ic in the siGth cent$ry, as in their lon!,
rhymin! <asidas>
7II9
Some rhymin! schemes have
=ecome associated (ith a specific lan!$a!e, c$lt$re
or period, (hile other rhymin! schemes have
achieved $se across lan!$a!es, c$lt$res or time
periods> Some forms of poetry carry a consistent and
(ellCdefined rhymin! scheme, s$ch as the chant
royal or the r$=aiyat, (hile other poetic forms have
varia=le rhyme schemes>
7IJ9
Most rhyme schemes are descri=ed $sin! letters that
correspond to sets of rhymes, so if the first, second
and fo$rth lines of a <$atrain rhyme (ith each other
and the third line does not rhyme, the <$atrain is said
to have an 4aCaC=Ca4 rhyme scheme> his rhyme
scheme is the one $sed, for eGample, in the r$=aiyat
form>
7IL9
Similarly, an 4aC=C=Ca4 <$atrain +(hat is
kno(n as 4enclosed rhyme46 is $sed in s$ch forms as
the Petrarchan sonnet>
7IM9
Some types of more
complicated rhymin! schemes have developed names
of their o(n, separate from the 4aC=Cc4 convention,
s$ch as the ottava rima and ter)a rima>
7JD9
he types
and $se of differin! rhymin! schemes is disc$ssed
f$rther in the main article>
&orm7edit9
Poetic form is more fleGi=le in modernist and postC
modernist poetry, and contin$es to =e less str$ct$red
than in previo$s literary eras> Many modern poets
esche( reco!nisa=le str$ct$res or forms, and (rite
in free verse> "$t poetry remains distin!$ished from
prose =y its form5 some re!ard for =asic formal
str$ct$res of poetry (ill =e fo$nd in even the =est
free verse, ho(ever m$ch s$ch str$ct$res may appear
to have =een i!nored>
7J89
Similarly, in the =est poetry
(ritten in classic styles there (ill =e depart$res from
strict form for emphasis or effect>
7J:9
@mon! maBor str$ct$ral elements $sed in poetry are
the line, the stan)a or verse para!raph, and lar!er
com=inations of stan)as or lines s$ch as cantos> @lso
sometimes $sed are =roader vis$al presentations of
(ords and calli!raphy> hese =asic $nits of poetic
form are often com=ined into lar!er str$ct$res,
called poetic forms or poetic modes +see follo(in!
section6, as in the sonnet or haik$>
Lines and stan'as7edit9
Poetry is often separated into lines on a pa!e> hese
lines may =e =ased on the n$m=er of metrical feet, or
may emphasi)e a rhymin! pattern at the ends of lines>
Lines may serve other f$nctions, partic$larly (here
the poem is not (ritten in a formal metrical pattern>
Lines can separate, compare or contrast tho$!hts
eGpressed in different $nits, or can hi!hli!ht a chan!e
in tone>
7J;9
See the article on line =reaks for
information a=o$t the division =et(een lines>
Lines of poems are often or!ani)ed into stan)as,
(hich are denominated =y the n$m=er of lines
incl$ded> h$s a collection of t(o lines is
a co$plet +or distich6, three lines a triplet +or tercet6,
fo$r lines a <$atrain, and so on> hese lines may or
may not relate to each other =y rhyme or rhythm> For
eGample, a co$plet may =e t(o lines (ith identical
meters (hich rhyme or t(o lines held to!ether =y a
common meter alone>
7JE9
@leGander "lokAs poem, 44och, ulitsa, fonar, apte-a4
+4Ni!ht, street, lamp, dr$!store46, on a (all in Leiden
#ther poems may =e or!ani)ed into verse para!raphs,
in (hich re!$lar rhymes (ith esta=lished rhythms are
not $sed, =$t the poetic tone is instead esta=lished =y
a collection of rhythms, alliterations, and rhymes
esta=lished in para!raph form>
7JH9
Many medieval
poems (ere (ritten in verse para!raphs, even (here
re!$lar rhymes and rhythms (ere $sed>
7JI9
Kn many forms of poetry, stan)as are interlockin!, so
that the rhymin! scheme or other str$ct$ral elements
of one stan)a determine those of s$cceedin! stan)as>
EGamples of s$ch interlockin! stan)as incl$de, for
eGample, the !ha)al and the villanelle, (here a
refrain +or, in the case of the villanelle, refrains6 is
esta=lished in the first stan)a (hich then repeats in
s$=se<$ent stan)as> Related to the $se of interlockin!
stan)as is their $se to separate thematic parts of a
poem> For eGample,
the strophe, antistrophe and epodeof the ode form are
often separated into one or more stan)as>
7JJ9
Kn some cases, partic$larly len!thier formal poetry
s$ch as some forms of epic poetry, stan)as
themselves are constr$cted accordin! to strict r$les
and then com=ined> Kn skaldic poetry,
the drTttkvUtt stan)a had ei!ht lines, each havin!
three 4lifts4 prod$ced (ith alliteration or assonance>
Kn addition to t(o or three alliterations, the odd
n$m=ered lines had partial rhyme of consonants (ith
dissimilar vo(els, not necessarily at the =e!innin! of
the (ord5 the even lines contained internal rhyme in
set sylla=les +not necessarily at the end of the (ord6>
Each halfCline had eGactly siG sylla=les, and each line
ended in a trochee> he arran!ement of drTttkvUtts
follo(ed far less ri!id r$les than the constr$ction of
the individ$al drTttkvUtts>
7JL9
(isual presentation7edit9
*is$al poetry
$ain article% !isual poetry
Even =efore the advent of printin!, the vis$al
appearance of poetry often added meanin! or
depth> @crostic poems conveyed meanin!s in the
initial letters of lines or in letters at other specific
places in a poem>
7JM9
Kn @ra=ic, &e=re( and Chinese
poetry, the vis$al presentation of
finely calli!raphed poems has played an important
part in the overall effect of many poems>
7LD9
With the advent of printin!, poets !ained !reater
control over the massCprod$ced vis$al presentations
of their (ork> *is$al elements have =ecome an
important part of the poetAs tool=oG, and many poets
have so$!ht to $se vis$al presentation for a (ide
ran!e of p$rposes> Some Modernist poets have made
the placement of individ$al lines or !ro$ps of lines
on the pa!e an inte!ral part of the poemAs
composition> @t times, this complements the
poemAs rhythm thro$!h vis$al caes$ras of vario$s
len!ths, or creates B$Gtapositions so as to accent$ate
meanin!, am=i!$ity or irony, or simply to create an
aesthetically pleasin! form> Kn its most eGtreme form,
this can lead to concrete poetry or asemic (ritin!>
7L89
7L:9
Diction7edit9
$ain article% Poetic diction
Poetic diction treats the manner in (hich lan!$a!e is
$sed, and refers not only to the so$nd =$t also to the
$nderlyin! meanin! and its interaction (ith so$nd
and form>
7L;9
Many lan!$a!es and poetic forms have
very specific poetic dictions, to the point (here
distinct !rammars and dialects are $sed specifically
for poetry>
7LE97LH9
Re!isters in poetry can ran!e from
strict employment of ordinary speech patterns, as
favo$red in m$ch lateC:DthCcent$ry prosody,
7LI9
thro$!h to hi!hly ornate $ses of lan!$a!e, as in
medieval and Renaissance poetry>
7LJ9
Poetic diction can incl$de rhetorical devices s$ch
as simile and metaphor, as (ell as tones of voice,
s$ch as irony> @ristotle (rote in the Poetics that 4the
!reatest thin! =y far is to =e a master of
metaphor>4
7LL9
Since the rise of Modernism, some
poets have opted for a poetic diction that deC
emphasi)es rhetorical devices, attemptin! instead the
direct presentation of thin!s and eGperiences and the
eGploration of tone>
7LM9
#n the other
hand, S$rrealists have p$shed rhetorical devices to
their limits, makin! fre<$ent $se of catachresis>
7MD9
@lle!orical stories are central to the poetic diction of
many c$lt$res, and (ere prominent in the West
d$rin! classical times, the late Middle @!es and
theRenaissance> (esop5s Fables, repeatedly rendered
in =oth verse and prose since first =ein! recorded
a=o$t HDD ">C>, are perhaps the richest sin!le so$rce
of alle!orical poetry thro$!h the a!es>
7M89
#ther
nota=les eGamples incl$de the +oman de la +ose, a
8;thCcent$ry French poem, William Lan!landAs Piers
Ploughman in the 8Eth cent$ry, and Pean de la
FontaineAs Fables +infl$enced =y @esopAs6 in the 8Jth
cent$ry> Rather than =ein! f$lly alle!orical, ho(ever,
a poem may containsym=ols or all$sions that deepen
the meanin! or effect of its (ords (itho$t
constr$ctin! a f$ll alle!ory>
7M:9
@nother stron! element of poetic diction can =e the
$se of vivid ima!ery for effect> he B$Gtaposition of
$neGpected or impossi=le ima!es is, for eGample, a
partic$larly stron! element in s$rrealist poetry
and haik$>
7M;9
*ivid ima!es are often endo(ed (ith
sym=olism or metaphor> Many poetic dictions $se
repetitive phrases for effect, either a short phrase
+s$ch as &omerAs 4rosyCfin!ered da(n4 or 4the (ineC
dark sea46 or a lon!er refrain> S$ch repetition can add
a som=re tone to a poem, or can =e laced (ith irony
as the conteGt of the (ords chan!es>
7ME9
Forms7edit9
See also% ,ategory%Poetic form
Specific poetic forms have =een developed =y many
c$lt$res> Kn more developed, closed or 4received4
poetic forms, the rhymin! scheme, meter and other
elements of a poem are =ased on sets of r$les,
ran!in! from the relatively loose r$les that !overn the
constr$ction of an ele!y to the hi!hly formali)ed
str$ct$re of the !ha)alor villanelle>
7MH9
Descri=ed
=elo( are some common forms of poetry (idely $sed
across a n$m=er of lan!$a!es> @dditional forms of
poetry may =e fo$nd in the disc$ssions of poetry of
partic$lar c$lt$res or periods and in the !lossary>
)onnet7edit9
Shakespeare
$ain article% Sonnet
@mon! the most common forms of poetry thro$!h
the a!es is the sonnet, (hich =y the 8;th cent$ry (as
a poem of fo$rteen lines follo(in! a set rhyme
scheme and lo!ical str$ct$re> "y the 8Eth cent$ry, the
form f$rther crystalli)ed $nder the pen of Petrarch,
(hose sonnets (ere later translated in the 8Ith
cent$ry =y Sir homas Wyatt, (ho is credited (ith
introd$cin! the sonnet form into En!lish literat$re>
7MI9
@ sonnetAs first fo$r lines typically introd$ce the
topic, the second ela=orates and the third posits a
pro=lem C the co$plet $s$ally, =$t not al(ays,
incl$des a t(ist, or an aftertho$!ht> @ sonnet $s$ally
follo(s an aC=CaC=CcCdCcCdCeCfCeCfC!! rhyme pattern>
he sonnetAs conventions have chan!ed over its
history, and so there are several different sonnet
forms> raditionally, in sonnets En!lish poets
$se iam=ic pentameter,
the Spenserian and Shakespearean sonnets =ein!
especially nota=le>
7MJ9
Kn theRomance lan!$a!es,
the hendecasylla=le and @leGandrine are the most
(idely $sed meters, tho$!h the Petrarchan sonnet has
=een $sed in Ktaly since the 8Eth cent$ry>
7ML9
Sonnets are partic$larly associated (ith love poetry,
and often $se a poetic diction heavily =ased on vivid
ima!ery, =$t the t(ists and t$rns associated (ith the
move from octave to sestet and to final co$plet make
them a $sef$l and dynamic form for many s$=Bects>
7MM9
ShakespeareAs sonnets are amon! the most famo$s
in En!lish poetry, (ith :D =ein! incl$ded in
the #6ford 2oo- of English !erse>
78DD9
)hi7edit9
$ain article% Shi (poetry)
Shi +traditional ChineseQ 5 simplified
ChineseQ 5 pinyinQ sh75 WadeN%iles Q shih6 Ks the
main type of Classical Chinese poetry>
78D89
Within this
form of poetry the most important variations are 4folk
son!4 styled verse +yuefu6, 4old style4 verse +gushi6,
4modern style4 verse +intishi6> Kn all cases, rhymin!
is o=li!atory> he R$ef$ is a folk =allad or a poem
(ritten in the folk =allad style, and the n$m=er of
lines and the len!th of the lines co$ld =e irre!$lar>
For the other variations of shi poetry, !enerally either
a fo$r line +<$atrain, or ueu6 or else an ei!ht line
poem is normal5 either (ay (ith the even n$m=ered
lines rhymin!> he line len!th is scanned =y
accordin! n$m=er of characters +accordin! to the
convention that one character e<$als one sylla=le6,
and are predominantly either five or seven characters
lon!, (ith a caes$ra =efore the final three sylla=les>
he lines are !enerally endCstopped, considered as a
series of co$plets, and eGhi=it ver=al parallelism as a
key poetic device>
78D:9
he 4old style4 verse +gushi6 is
less formally strict than the intishi, or re!$lated
verse, (hich, despite the name 4ne( style4 verse
act$ally had its theoretical =asis laid as far =ack
to Shen R$e, in the Hth or Ith cent$ry, altho$!h not
considered to have reached its f$ll development $ntil
the time of Chen ?iAan!+II8CJD:6
78D;9
@ !ood eGample
of a poet kno(n for his gushi poems is Li "ai>
@mon! its other r$les, the Bintishi r$les re!$late the
tonal variations (ithin a poem, incl$din! the $se of
set patterns of the fo$r tones of Middle Chinese he
=asic form of Bintishi +l$shi6 has ei!ht lines in fo$r
co$plets, (ith parallelism =et(een the lines in the
second and third co$plets> he co$plets (ith parallel
lines contain contrastin! content =$t an identical
!rammatical relationship =et(een (ords> Pintishi
often have a rich poetic diction, f$ll of all$sion, and
can have a (ide ran!e of s$=Bect, incl$din! history
and politics>
78DE978DH9
#ne of the masters of the form
(as D$ F$, (ho (rote d$rin! the an! Dynasty +Lth
cent$ry6>
78DI9
(illanelle7edit9
W> &> @$den
$ain article% !illanelle
he villanelle is a nineteenCline poem made $p of
five triplets (ith a closin! <$atrain5 the poem is
characteri)ed =y havin! t(o refrains, initially $sed in
the first and third lines of the first stan)a, and then
alternately $sed at the close of each s$=se<$ent
stan)a $ntil the final <$atrain, (hich is concl$ded =y
the t(o refrains> he remainin! lines of the poem
have an aC= alternatin! rhyme>
78DJ9
he villanelle has
=een $sed re!$larly in the En!lish lan!$a!e since the
late 8Mth cent$ry =y s$ch poets as Dylan homas,
78DL9
W> &> @$den,
78DM9
and Eli)a=eth "ishop>
788D9
Tan*a7edit9
$ain article% Tan-a
anka is a form of $nrhymed Papanese poetry, (ith
five sections totallin! ;8 oni +phonolo!ical $nits
identical to morae6, str$ct$red in a HCJCH JNJ pattern>
78889
here is !enerally a shift in tone and s$=Bect
matter =et(een the $pper HCJCH phrase and the lo(er
JCJ phrase> anka (ere (ritten as early as the @s$ka
period =y s$ch poets as Fakinomoto no &itomaro, at
a time (hen Papan (as emer!in! from a period
(here m$ch of its poetry follo(ed Chinese form>
788:9
anka (as ori!inally the shorter form of Papanese
formal poetry +(hich (as !enerally referred to as
4(aka46, and (as $sed more heavily to eGplore
personal rather than p$=lic themes> "y the tenth
cent$ry, tanka had =ecome the dominant form of
Papanese poetry, to the point (here the ori!inally
!eneral term 0a-a +4Papanese poetry46 came to =e
$sed eGcl$sively for tanka> anka are still (idely
(ritten today>
788;9
Hai*u7edit9
$ain article% &ai-u
&aik$ is a pop$lar form of $nrhymed Papanese
poetry, (hich evolved in the 8Jth cent$ry from
the ho--u, or openin! verse of a renk$>
788E9
%enerally
(ritten in a sin!le vertical line, the haik$ contains
three sections totallin! 8J oni, str$ct$red in a HCJCH
pattern> raditionally, haik$ contain a kireBi, or
c$ttin! (ord, $s$ally placed at the end of one of the
poemAs three sections, and a ki!o, or seasonC(ord>
788H9
he most famo$s eGponent of the haik$
(as Mats$o "ashO +8IEEN8IME6> @n eGample of his
(ritin!Q
788I9

f$Bi no ka)e ya oo!i ni nosete Edo miya!e

the (ind of Mt> F$Bi
KAve =ro$!ht on my fanV
a !ift from Edo
+de7edit9
&orace
$ain article% #de
#des (ere first developed =y
poets (ritin! in ancient
%reek, s$ch as Pindar, and
Latin, s$ch as &orace> Forms
of odes appear in many of the
c$lt$res that (ere infl$enced
=y the %reeks and Latins>
788J9
he ode !enerally has
three partsQ a strophe,
an antistrophe, and an epode>
he antistrophes of the ode
possess similar metrical
str$ct$res and, dependin! on
the tradition, similar rhyme
str$ct$res> Kn contrast, the
epode is (ritten (ith a
different scheme and
str$ct$re> #des have a formal
poetic diction, and !enerally
deal (ith a serio$s s$=Bect>
he strophe and antistrophe
look at the s$=Bect from
different, often conflictin!,
perspectives, (ith the epode
movin! to a hi!her level to
either vie( or resolve the
$nderlyin! iss$es> #des are
often intended to =e recited
or s$n! =y t(o chor$ses +or
individ$als6, (ith the first
recitin! the strophe, the
second the antistrophe, and
=oth to!ether the epode>
788L9
#ver time, differin!
forms for odes have
developed (ith considera=le
variations in form and
str$ct$re, =$t !enerally
sho(in! the ori!inal
infl$ence of the Pindaric or
&oratian ode> #ne nonC
Western form (hich
resem=les the ode is
the <asida in Persian poetry>
788M9
Gha'al7edit9
R$mi
$ain article% Gha8al
he !ha)al +also !ha)el,
!a)el, !a)al, or !o)ol6 is a
form of poetry common
in @ra=ic, Persian, $rkish, @
)er=aiBani, Wrd$ and"en!ali
poetry> Kn classic form, the
!ha)al has from five to
fifteen rhymin! co$plets that
share a refrain at the end of
the second line> his refrain
may =e of one or several
sylla=les, and is preceded =y
a rhyme> Each line has an
identical meter> he !ha)al
often reflects on a theme of
$nattaina=le love or divinity>
78:D9
@s (ith other forms (ith a
lon! history in many
lan!$a!es, many variations
have =een developed,
incl$din! forms (ith a <$asiC
m$sical poetic diction
in Wrd$>
78:89
%ha)als have a
classical affinity (ith S$fism,
and a n$m=er of maBor S$fi
reli!io$s (orks are (ritten in
!ha)al form> he relatively
steady meter and the $se of
the refrain prod$ce an
incantatory effect, (hich
complements S$fi mystical
themes (ell>
78::9
@mon! the
masters of the form is R$mi,
a 8;thCcent$ry Persian poet>
78:;9
%enres7edit9
Kn addition to specific forms
of poems, poetry is often
tho$!ht of in terms of
different !enres and
s$=!enres> @ poetic !enre is
!enerally a tradition or
classification of poetry =ased
on the s$=Bect matter, style,
or other =roader literary
characteristics>
78:E9
Some
commentators vie( !enres as
nat$ral forms of literat$re>
#thers vie( the st$dy of
!enres as the st$dy of ho(
different (orks relate and
refer to other (orks>
78:H9
,arrati-e poetry7edit9
%eoffrey Cha$cer
$ain article% 4arrati)e
poetry
Narrative poetry is a !enre of
poetry that tells a story>
"roadly it s$=s$mes epic
poetry, =$t the term
4narrative poetry4 is often
reserved for smaller (orks,
!enerally (ith more appeal
to h$man interest> Narrative
poetry may =e the oldest type
of poetry> Many scholars
of &omer have concl$ded
that
his "liad and #dyssey (ere
composed from compilations
of shorter narrative poems
that related individ$al
episodes> M$ch narrative
poetry,s$ch as Scottish and
En!lish =allads,
and "altic and Slavic heroic
poems,isperformance
poetry (ith roots in a
preliterate oral tradition> Kt
has =een spec$lated that
some feat$res that distin!$ish
poetry from prose, s$ch as
meter, alliteration and kennin
!s, once served
as memory aids
for =ards (ho recited
traditional tales>
78:I9
Nota=le narrative poets have
incl$ded #vid, Dante, P$an
R$i), Cha$cer, William
Lan!land, L$Xs de
CamYes, Shakespeare, @leGa
nder Pope, Ro=ert
"$rns, Fernando de
RoBas, @dam
Mickie(ic), @leGander
P$shkin, Ed!ar @llan
Poe and @lfred ennyson>
.pic poetry7edit9
$ain article% Epic poetry
Epic poetry is a !enre of
poetry, and a maBor form
of narrative literat$re> his
!enre is often defined as
len!thy poems concernin!
events of a heroic or
important nat$re to the
c$lt$re of the time> Kt
reco$nts, in a contin$o$s
narrative, the life and (orks
of
a heroic or mytholo!ical pers
on or !ro$p of persons>
78:J9
EGamples of epic poems
are &omerAs "liad and #dysse
y, *ir!ilAs @eneid,
the 4ibelungenlied, L$Xs de
CamYesA #s 'us9adas,
the ,antar de $io ,id,
the Epic of Gilgamesh,
the$ahabharata, *almikiAs +
amayana, Ferdo(siAs Shahna
ma, Ni)ami +or
Ne)ami6As Fhamse +Five
"ooks6, and the Epic of :ing
Gesar> While the
composition of epic poetry,
and of lon! poems !enerally,
=ecame less common in the
(est after the early :Dth
cent$ry, some nota=le epics
have contin$ed to =e
(ritten> Derek Walcott(on
a No=el pri)e to a !reat
eGtent on the =asis of his
epic, #meros>
78:L9
Dramatic poetry7edit9
%oethe
$ain articles% !erse drama
and dramatic )erse, Theatre
of ancient Greece, Sans-rit
drama, ,hinese #pera,
and 4oh
Dramatic poetry
is drama (ritten in verse to
=e spoken or s$n!, and
appears in varyin!,
sometimes related forms in
many c$lt$res> %reek
tra!edy in verse dates to the
Ith cent$ry ">C>, and may
have =een an infl$ence on the
development of Sanskrit
drama,
78:M9
B$st as Kndian
drama in t$rn appears to have
infl$enced the development
of the bian0en verse dramas
in China, forer$nners
of Chinese #pera>
78;D9
East
@sian verse dramas also
incl$de Papanese Noh>
EGamples of dramatic poetry
in Persian
literat$re incl$de Ni)amiAs
t(o famo$s dramatic
(orks, 'ayla and
$anun and :hosro0 and
Shirin, Ferdo(siAs tra!edies
s$ch as +ostam and
Sohrab, R$miAs $asna)i, %or
!aniAs tra!edy of !is and
+amin, and*ahshiAs tra!edy
of Farhad>
)atirical poetry7edit9
Pohn Wilmot
Poetry can =e a po(erf$l
vehicle for satire>
he Romans had a stron!
tradition of satirical poetry,
often (ritten
for political p$rposes> @
nota=le eGample is the
Roman poet P$venalAs satires>
78;89
he same is tr$e of the
En!lish satirical
tradition> Pohn
Dryden +a ory6, the
first Poet La$reate, prod$ced
in 8IL: $ac Flec-noe,
s$=titled 4@ Satire on the
r$e "l$e Protestant Poet,
>S>4 +a reference to homas
Shad(ell6>
78;:9
@nother
master of 8JthCcent$ry
En!lish satirical poetry
(asPohn Wilmot, :nd Earl of
Rochester>
78;;9
Satirical poets
o$tside En!land
incl$de PolandAs K!nacy
Frasicki, @)er=aiBanAs Sa=ir a
nd Port$!alAsMan$el Maria
"ar=osa d$ "oca!e>
Li$ht poetry7edit9
Le(is Carroll
$ain article% 'ight poetry
Li!ht poetry, or li!ht verse, is
poetry that attempts to =e
h$moro$s> Poems considered
4li!ht4 are $s$ally =rief, and
can =e on a frivolo$s or
serio$s s$=Bect, and often
feat$re (ord play,
incl$din! p$ns, advent$ro$s
rhyme and heavy alliteration>
@ltho$!h a fe( free verse
poets have eGcelled at li!ht
verse o$tside the formal verse
tradition, li!ht verse in
En!lish is $s$ally formal>
Common forms incl$de
the limerick, the clerihe(,
and the do$=le dactyl>
While li!ht poetry is
sometimes condemned
as do!!erel, or tho$!ht of as
poetry composed cas$ally,
h$mor often makes a serio$s
point in a s$=tle or
s$=versive (ay> Many of the
most reno(ned 4serio$s4
poets have also eGcelled at
li!ht verse> Nota=le (riters of
li!ht poetry incl$deLe(is
Carroll, #!den Nash, Z> P>
Fennedy, Willard R> Espy,
and Wendy Cope>
Lyric poetry7edit9
Christine de Pi)an
$ain article% 'yric poetry
Lyric poetry is a !enre that,
$nlike epic and dramatic
poetry, does not attempt to
tell a story =$t instead is of a
more personal nat$re> Poems
in this !enre tend to =e
shorter, melodic, and
contemplative> Rather than
depictin! characters and
actions, it portrays the poetAs
o(n feelin!s,states of mind,
and perceptions>
78;E9
Nota=le
poets in this !enre
incl$de Pohn Donne, %erard
Manley &opkins,
and @ntonio Machado>
.le$y7edit9
$ain article% Elegy
@n ele!y is a mo$rnf$l,
melancholy or plaintive
poem, especially a lament for
the dead or a f$neral son!>
he term 4ele!y,4 (hich
ori!inally denoted a type of
poetic meter +ele!iac meter6,
commonly descri=es a poem
of mo$rnin!> @n ele!y may
also reflect somethin! that
seems to the a$thor to =e
stran!e or mysterio$s> he
ele!y, as a reflection on a
death, on a sorro( more
!enerally, or on somethin!
mysterio$s, may =e classified
as a form of lyric poetry>
78;H9
78;I9
Nota=le practitioners of
ele!iac poetry have
incl$ded Properti$s, Por!e
Manri<$e, Pan
Fochano(ski, Chidiock
ich=orne, Edm$nd
Spenser, "en Ponson, Pohn
Milton,homas
%ray, Charlotte $rner
Smith, William C$llen
"ryant, Percy "ysshe
Shelley, Pohann Wolf!an!
von %oethe, Ev!eny
"aratynsky, @lfred
ennyson, Walt
Whitman, Lo$is
%allet, @ntonio
Machado, P$an RamTn
PimSne), William "$tler
Reats, Rainer Maria Rilke,
and *ir!inia Woolf>
(erse fa"le7edit9
K!nacy Frasicki
$ain article% Fable
he fa=le is an
ancient literary !enre, often
+tho$!h not invaria=ly6 set
in verse> Kt is a s$ccinct story
that
feat$res anthropomorphi)eda
nimals, plants, inanimate
o=Bects, or forces of nat$re
that ill$strate a moral lesson
+a 4moral46> *erse fa=les have
$sed a variety
of meter andrhyme patterns>
78;J9
Nota=le verse fa=$lists have
incl$ded @esop, *ishn$
Sarma, Phaedr$s, Marie de
France, Ro=ert
&enryson, "iernat of
L$=lin, Pean de La
Fontaine, K!nacy
Frasicki, FSliG MarXa de
Samanie!o, om[s de
Kriarte, Kvan
Frylov and @m=rose "ierce>
Prose poetry7edit9
Charles "a$delaire,
=y %$stave Co$r=et
$ain article% Prose poetry
Prose poetry is a hy=rid !enre
that sho(s attri=$tes of =oth
prose and poetry> Kt may =e
indistin!$isha=le from
the microCstory+a>k>a> the
4short short story4, 4flash
fiction46> While some
eGamples of earlier prose
strike modern readers as
poetic, prose poetry is
commonly re!arded as
havin! ori!inated in 8MthC
cent$ry France, (here its
practitioners
incl$ded @loysi$s
"ertrand,Charles
"a$delaire, @rth$r
Rim=a$d and StSphane
MallarmS>
78;L9
Since the late
8MLDs especially, prose
poetry has !ained increasin!
pop$larity, (ith entire
Bo$rnals, s$ch as The Prose
Poem% (n "nternational
;ournal,
78;M9
,ontemporary
&aibun #nline
78ED9
devoted to
that !enre>
)peculati-e poetry7edit9
Spec$lative poetry, also
kno(n as fantastic poetry, +of
(hich (eird or maca=re
poetry is a maBor
s$=classification6, is a poetic
!enre (hich deals
thematically (ith s$=Bects
(hich are A=eyond realityA,
(hether via eGtrapolation as
in science fiction or via (eird
and horrific themes as
in horror fiction> S$ch poetry
appears re!$larly in modern
science fiction and horror
fiction ma!a)ines> Ed!ar
@llan Poe is sometimes seen
as the 4father of spec$lative
poetry4>
78E89