28 Most Common Styles of Poetry #poetry

Poetry is a form of literary expression that uses language to evoke emotions, paint vivid images, and convey ideas. It often employs literary devices such as rhyme, meter, and imagery to enhance its meaning. Poetry has been a popular form of creative expression for centuries and is enjoyed by people of all ages. There are many different styles and forms of poetry, including sonnets, haikus, and free verse.

Here are some of the most common styles of poetry with examples:

Sonnet – a 14-line poem that follows a strict rhyme scheme and structure. Example: William Shakespeare’s “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Haiku – a Japanese form of poetry consisting of three lines. The first and third lines have 5 syllables, while the second line has 7 syllables. Example: “In the stillness, snow/ Settles quietly on the ground/ Winter silence reigns”

Limerick – a humorous poem with five lines, the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other, while the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other. Example: “There once was a man from Kent / Who had a remarkably bent / He walked into a door / And bent it even more / Now it’s as long as a circus tent.”

Free verse – a type of poetry that does not follow a set rhyme scheme or meter. Example: “I wandered lonely as a cloud / That floats on high o’er vales and hills / When all at once I saw a crowd / A host of golden daffodils.” – William Wordsworth

Epics – a long narrative poem that tells the story of a hero’s adventures. Example: “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” by Homer.

Villanelle – a 19-line poem that consists of five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a final quatrain. Example: Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night.”

Ode – a type of poem that sings the praises of a person, place, or thing. Example: John Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale.”

Lyric – a type of poetry that expresses the poet’s personal feelings and emotions. Example: Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “To a Skylark.”

Ballad – a narrative poem that tells a story and is meant to be sung or recited. Example: “Barbara Allen”

Elegy – a type of poem that mourns the death of a person or laments a loss. Example: W.H. Auden’s “In Memory of W.B. Yeats.”

Sestina – a poem with 39 lines that follows a strict pattern of repeating end-words. Example: Elizabeth Bishop’s “Sestina.”

Rondeau – a 15-line poem with two rhymes and a repeating refrain. Example: “Spring has come, the grashoppers sing / The turtle doves call all day long / Their music fills the air like a song / The sun shines bright, the sky is blue / The flowers bloom, the world is new.”

Couplet – a pair of consecutive lines in a poem that rhyme. Example: “Roses are red, violets are blue / Sugar is sweet, and so are you.”

Ghazal – a type of poetry originating from Persian literature, consisting of rhyming couplets and a repeating refrain. Example: Rumi’s “The wound is the place where the light enters you.”

Triolet – a short poem consisting of 8 lines with a strict rhyme and repetition pattern. Example: “I saw her once and then again / Her beauty still fresh in my mind / I saw her once and then again.”

Terza Rima – a poem consisting of tercets (three-line stanzas) with an interlocking rhyme scheme. Example: Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy.”

Rubaiyat – a type of Persian poetry consisting of quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme. Example: Omar Khayyam’s “Rubaiyat.”

Acrostic – a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word or phrase when read vertically. Example: “Anna’s amazing agility always amazes everyone.”

Pantoum – a type of poem consisting of repeating stanzas with a specific rhyme and repetition pattern. Example: Wallace Stevens’ “Pantoum of the Great Rediscovery.”

Irregular Sonnet – a sonnet that does not conform to the traditional rhyme and meter patterns. Example: William Carlos Williams’ “The Red Wheelbarrow.”

Eclogue – a pastoral poem that portrays rural life and the lives of shepherds. Example: Virgil’s “Eclogues.”

Chant Royal – a form of poetry that originated in France, consisting of five 11-line stanzas and a final 5-line stanza. Example: Joan of Arc’s “Chant Royal.”

Triadic Poetry – a form of poetry consisting of three-line stanzas where the first and last lines are repeated throughout the poem. Example: Langston Hughes’ “Dream Variations.”

Cinquain – a five-line poem consisting of 2 syllables in the first line, 4 syllables in the second line, 6 syllables in the third line, 8 syllables in the fourth line, and 2 syllables in the fifth line. Example: “Dawn breaks / Soft light filters through the trees / The world awakens / A new day begins to seize / Hope and promise, peace and please.”

Tanka – a type of Japanese poetry consisting of five lines and 31 syllables. Example: “The cherry blossoms / floating down in the spring breeze / a symbol of life / reminding us to enjoy / each moment as it passes.”

Dub poetry – a style of poetry originating from Jamaica, combining elements of reggae and spoken word. Example: Linton Kwesi Johnson’s “Sonny’s Lettah.”

Prose poetry – a style of poetry that uses prose-like structures but still employs literary devices such as imagery and metaphor. Example: “Litany” by Billy Collins.

Blackout poetry – a style of poetry created by redacting text from existing sources to create new meaning and context. Example: “The Great Gatsby Blackout Poetry” by Austin Kleon.

These styles demonstrate the variety and diversity of poetry and the different ways that poets can use form and structure to create unique and powerful expressions. These styles demonstrate the versatility and range of poetry and show how different techniques and structures can be used to create different effects and evoke different emotions. These styles of poetry showcase the diversity and creativity within the genre and demonstrate the different ways that poets can use language to convey their thoughts and emotions. These are just a few examples of the many different styles of poetry that exist. Each style has its own unique characteristics and can be used to convey different emotions and ideas.

Poetry and prose are two distinct forms of written expression.

Prose is the typical form of written language and includes things like novels, short stories, essays, and news articles. Prose is characterized by its straightforward and narrative structure, and its focus on clarity and simplicity.

In contrast, poetry is a more imaginative and stylized form of writing that uses language to evoke emotions and create musical effects through the use of meter, rhyme, line breaks, and other literary devices. Poetry often employs more figurative language and imagery, and its structure can be more fluid and less predictable than prose.

Another key difference between poetry and prose is the way they are experienced by the reader. Prose is typically read for its content, while poetry is often read for both its content and its form. In poetry, the sound, rhythm, and pattern of the words are just as important as the meaning they convey.

In summary, while both poetry and prose use language to communicate ideas and emotions, poetry is typically more imaginative, musical, and stylized, while prose is more straightforward and focused on clarity and narrative.