Discover poem types. From Abecedarian to Madrigal to Zéjel. To start, here’s the overview of poem types.
A ballade is an old verse form of French origin. It usually consists of three main stanzas with eight lines, and an envoi that consists of four lines. The ballade has several variations including the double ballade, double-refrain, ballade supreme, and chant royal or grand ballade.
Ekphrastic poetry is a written expression of a visual form of art. In ancient Greece, they use the ekphrasis technique to write about or verbalize momentous events, history, or a work of art. Because ekphrastic poems are a way to creatively articulate art or significant scenes or events, this poem type is usually imaginative, vivid, and quite dramatic.
A tanka is a short Japanese free verse consisting of 31 syllables. While they don’t necessarily rhyme, tankas follow a specific syllable pattern. Tanka literally means “short poem or song”, with themes that are usually about nature, seasons, and desires. Hence, tankas tend to evoke strong and powerful imagery.
A pantoum is a type of poem consisting of repeating quatrains, or four-line stanzas. Pantoums can be of any length. The pantoum is of Malay origin, specifically the Malay poetic verse form pantun berkait.
Prose poems are a creative piece of writing that combines both poetic and prose writing style elements. While prose poetry does not break lines into verses, it shows features such as figures of speech, metaphors, and symbolism, which are common to poetry.
A sestina is a very specific verse form of French origin, consisting of six stanzas with six unrhymed lines each, usually concluded by an envoi with three lines. Sestinas originated with the lyric poets (troubadour poets) of Southern France.
Terza rima is a verse form of Italian origin consisting of tercets, or three-line stanzas. Terza rima poems are a demanding form of poetry as it uses a complex rhyming scheme usually in iambic pentameter.
Minimalist poetry is an artistic movement without clear origins. Minimalist poetry may have been influenced by other more traditional poetry forms such as the Japanese haiku and concrete poetry amongst others.
Free verse poetry is a type of poem that doesn’t follow a regular meter or rhyme scheme. In essence, they provide some leeway for poets who don’t want to follow strict poetry rules. Free verse poems don’t necessarily lack structure, although unmetered. This poem type gained prominence in the 19th century.
An epitaph is a short inscription on a tombstone meant to honor someone who has passed. An epitaph is usually a meaningful poem or prose commissioned by the family of the deceased.
An epigram is a brief poem or saying often with a witty, amusing thought at the end. Epigrams usually rhymed with themes that are either satirical or comedic.
An elegy is a poem type that explores and reflects on themes of loss, mourning, and consolation. Elegiac poetry then is typically meant to grieve the death of a loved one.
A rhymed poem is simply a poem with rhyming sounds or identical sounding final syllables. These rhymes are organized by using a particular rhyming pattern or scheme. There are some varieties of rhyming poetry, including sonnets, nursery rhymes, and limericks.
A cinquain is a short five-line, Japanese tanka-inspired poem, created by the American poet Adelaide Crapsey. American cinquains gained popularity in the twentieth century. These five-line verses are also called quintains in the US.
A formal poem is a poem type that follows a strict rhyme or meter pattern. Formal poems are also called metrical poems or metrical verses.
A villanelle poem is a poem of French origin, consisting of five three-line verses (tercets) and finally, one four-line stanza (quatrain). The villanelle poem type is a favored poetry form by many poets, especially during the late 16th century.