forms of poetry in creative writing

Types of Poems: 33 Unique Poetry Forms (With Examples)

As an art form, poetry stands as a testament to the power of words to weave tapestries of emotions, to capture the essence of life’s profound moments, and to ignite the fire of imagination within us. It has evolved and embraced countless forms throughout history, each one distinct, evocative, and capable of touching the deepest recesses of our hearts.

In this journey, we will explore 33 poetry forms, each with its own spellbinding cadence and thought-provoking beauty. Brace yourself to be transported to the realms of joy, sorrow, love, and wonder, as we unravel the artistry and brilliance that lies within these poetic treasures.

What is Poetry?

Poetry is an art form that uses language to arouse feelings, spur ideas, and spark the imagination. It goes beyond the limitations of traditional language to paint pictures with words and capture the essence of human experiences in a special and condensed way.

Poets use rhythm, vivid descriptions, imaginative language, and a lyrical arrangement of words to bring their thoughts to life.

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Key Elements of Poetry

Let’s first explore the essential components that make up the world of poetry. From rhyming words and rhythmic patterns to the arrangement of lines and the use of descriptive language, these are the building blocks of poetic expression.

• Rhyme: The repetition of similar sounds at the end of words or phrases, used to create a musical or rhythmic feel. E.g., bright and delight .
• Meter: The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry, which helps establish a consistent beat or inflection. E.g., in “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Each foot consists of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable for a rhythm of da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM .
• Stanza: A group of lines in a poem that are separated from other groups by line breaks, similar to a paragraph in prose. A couplet has two lines, a tercet three, a quatrain four, and a quintain five lines.
• Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or thought from one line of poetry to the next without a pause, which improves flow and creates suspense or surprise.
• Theme: The main idea, message, or underlying concept explored in a poem, usually an emotion or universal truth.
• Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and conjures up evocative mental pictures and sensory experiences. E.g., “The golden sun melted into the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the rippling waves, as seagulls soared gracefully through the cotton candy clouds.”
• Symbolism: The use of objects, colors, or actions to represent abstract ideas or concepts, adding layers of meaning and depth to a poem. E.g., a mockingbird representing innocence and purity.

What is a Poem?

A poem is a specific piece of writing that embodies the art form of poetry. It is a creative composition that uses various poetic techniques (such as rhyme, meter, imagery, and figurative language) to describe thoughts, feelings, or experiences in a condensed and artistic way.

On the other hand, poetry is a broader term that encompasses the entire genre or category of literary art characterized by rhythmic and imaginative language. Poetry refers to the collective body of works that utilize poetic techniques, while a poem is a specific example or instance of poetry.

Types of Poems

From the timeless elegance of sonnets to the lyrical beauty of haikus, join us as we delve into the intricate world of different types of poems, revealing their unique characteristics, structures, and charm.

In this section you can discover various types of poems in the following categories:

Lyric Poetry

Narrative poetry.

• Pastoral Poetry  

Dramatic Poetry

Light and satirical poetry, referential poetry, experimental 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.

The themes explored in lyric poetry can vary widely, from love and nature to loss, longing, and the complexities of the human condition. By dealing with feelings that we all experience, these poems create an emotional response in readers through the power of imagery, rhythm, and the beauty of language.

Lyric poetry is written according to very specific structural rules, with each type having its own conventions and exceptions. Let’s explore the different types in detail.

A sonnet is a 14-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme, meter, and structure. It originated in Italy and became popularized in English poetry during the Renaissance.

As a result, there are two main types of sonnets:

• Petrarchan Sonnet: The original Italian sonnet is divided into an eight-line and a six-line stanza. The first section often presents a question which the second part answers. The rhyme scheme for the first part is typically ABBAABBA, while the second can follow any rhyme scheme.
• Shakespearean Sonnet: Also known as the English sonnet, this one is composed of three four-line stanzas (quatrains) and a final rhymed couplet. The rhyme scheme is typically ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

Look at the start of Shakespeare’s “ Sonnet 18 ” as an example:

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (A) Thou art more lovely and more temperate: (B) Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, (A) And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. (B)

When a poem expresses sorrow or grief over the loss of someone or something, it is called an elegy. It reflects on themes of mortality, remembrance, mourning, and the transient nature of life.

Elegies are often written as a tribute to honor a deceased, but they can also combine with broader themes, such as the decline of a way of life or the loss of innocence.

They’re usually structured in multiple four-line stanzas with an ABAB rhyme scheme, although many modern poets don’t follow these rules.

Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” reflects on the lives and deaths of the common people buried in a village churchyard, contemplating the transience of life and the legacy left behind.

It starts like this:

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, (A) The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea, (B) The plowman homeward plods his weary way, (A) And leaves the world to darkness and to me. (B)

An ode is a form of lyrical poetry that is characterized by its praise, admiration, or celebration of a person, place, thing, or idea. It is a poetic expression of deep affection, enthusiasm, or reverence.

They usually consist of multiple four-line stanzas and employ a consistent rhyme scheme and meter that can either be ABAB, AABB, or any other. But it’s the regularity in rhyming and structure that is most important, not the specific conventions.

One type of ode has a fourth line that is shorter than the others in each stanza, while another type uses a shorter third line. But these rules are broken in irregular odes.

“Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats reflects on the transient nature of human existence and finds solace in the song of a nightingale. It uses 10-line stanzas of which the first goes like this:

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk, Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk: ‘Tis not through envy of thy happy lot, But being too happy in thine happiness,— That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees In some melodious plot Of beechen green, and shadows numberless, Singest of summer in full-throated ease.

Stepping out of Western poetry, a haiku is a traditional Japanese poem consisting of three non-rhyming lines. It typically follows a 5-7-5 syllable pattern, with the first line containing five, the second seven, and the third five syllables.

Each poem captures a single observation, impression, emotion, or thought. While they were traditionally focused on nature, modern haiku can be written about anything at all.

Murakami Kijo wrote this little treasure about middle age:

First autumn morning (5) The mirror I stare into (7) Shows my father’s face. (5)

For those whose ideas are just a little too big for a Haiku, a cinquain is written over five lines with a syllable pattern of 2-4-6-8-2 for a total of 22 syllables. Similar to haiku, they are concise, focused on one observation, and often center on nature, but they can explore other themes too.

American poet Adelaide Crapsey’s “November Night” captures one beautiful observation:

Listen… With faint dry sound, Like steps of passing ghosts, The leaves, frost-crisp’d, break from the trees And fall.

Ghazal poems originate from Arabic and Persian literature. They traditionally consist of a first rhyming couplet, followed by couplets in which the second line rhymes with the first couplet in an AA BA CA DA structure.

Each line within the couplet is usually of equal length, and each couplet tends to be self-contained, capable of standing alone as a complete thought.

The Ghazal typically explores themes like love, desire, longing, loss, separation, and spiritual yearning, but can also touch on themes of nature, metaphysics, and divine love.

Agha Shahid Ali’s “Even the Rain” explores the themes of love, grief, memory, loss, and the persistence of sorrow:

What will suffice for a true-love knot? Even the rain? But he has bought grief’s lottery, bought even the rain. “our glosses / wanting in this world” “Can you remember?” Anyone! “when we thought / the poets taught” even the rain? After we died—That was it!—God left us in the dark. And as we forgot the dark, we forgot even the rain. Drought was over. Where was I? Drinks were on the house. For mixers, my love, you’d poured—what?—even the rain.

Blank Verse Poems

For poets who don’t like working on rhyming words, blank verse consists of unrhymed lines written in a metered scheme called iambic pentameter. This means that each line has five pairs of an unstressed and stressed syllable, resulting in a total of ten syllables per line.

Blank verse provides a balance between structure and flexibility, combining the musicality of poetry with the natural cadence of everyday speech.

Many of the characters in Shakespeare’s plays speak in blank verse. Romeo’s famous monologue from Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet starts:

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid art far more fair than she.

A villanelle is a poetic form that consists of 19 lines arranged in six stanzas, the first five with three lines and a sixth with four lines. It flows following a very specific rhyme scheme and structure of ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA.

It also employs repeated lines or refrains. The first line of the poem is repeated as the last line of the second and fourth stanzas, while the third line is repeated as the last line of the third and fifth stanzas. The final stanza, called the quatrain, uses both refrains.

The form originated from Italian folk songs and gained popularity in French poetry.

“Do not go gentle into that good night”, a poem about death by Dylan Thomas, illustrates it perfectly. Here is an extract:

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.

Written in only one stanza, a triolet is an eight-line classic French poem that rhymes ABAAABAB. However, it only has five distinct lines, with the first repeating as the fourth and seventh, and the second repeating as the eighth.

Thomas Hardy wrote this one called “How Great My Grief”:

How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee! Have the slow years not brought to view How great my grief, my joys how few, Nor memory shaped old times anew, Nor loving-kindness helped to show thee How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee?

A sestina poem consists of six stanzas followed by a final triplet (a total of 39 lines).

It is known for its intricate repetition of six end words, creating a unique pattern throughout the poem. The final word of each line in the first stanza becomes the final word of each line in subsequent stanzas, according to a set rotation. The final tercet then uses all six end words, with one word in the middle of each line and one at the end.

While capturing the mundane details of daily life, “Sestina” by Elizabeth Bishop follows these rules with first and final stanzas that read like this:

September rain falls on the house. In the failing light, the old grandmother sits in the kitchen with the child beside the Little Marvel Stove, reading the jokes from the almanac, laughing and talking to hide her tears. Time to plant tears, says the almanac. The grandmother sings to the marvelous stove and the child draws another inscrutable house.

Another French contribution to the list, rondel poems originated in medieval France. They typically consist of thirteen lines divided into three stanzas of four, four, and five lines, although some authors start with a five-line stanza and end with a six-line one. The opening phrase or line of the first stanza is repeated as the refrain at the end of the second and third stanzas.

Its rhyming scheme starts with AABB in the first stanza, and then varies from one poet to the next.

“In Flanders Fields” by soldier and poet John McCrae describes a war in Flanders Fields among the crosses and dead who were alive just days before. It starts with the refrain as a first line, as it should. Here is the first stanza:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Because epitaph poems are very short, the language has to be concise. They are written in memory of a deceased person and are typically inscriptions found on gravestones or memorial plaques. They can encompass a range of emotions, from solemn and reflective to humorous or uplifting.

W. H. Auden wrote this epitaph in memory of W. B. Yeats :

Earth, receive an honored guest, William Yeats is laid to rest. Let the Irish vessel lie Emptied of its 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. Narrative poems often have a clear beginning, middle, and end, similar to traditional storytelling, and may explore themes of love, adventure, mythology, moral principles, or historical events.

The most common types of poems in this group are the epic, allegory, and ballad. Let’s have a closer look.

Possibly the hardest form of poetry to read, an allegory tells a story with hidden meanings. Its characters, events, and settings represent something else that is not verbally specified in the text. The purpose of these poems is to teach a moral lesson or convey deeper truths through symbols and metaphors. They are like a puzzle where you have to look beyond the surface to uncover the intended message of the poem.

These poems tend to employ rich imagery, figurative language, and metaphors to enhance their allegorical nature.

At the beginning of William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell we find these two stanzas:

Once meek, and in a perilous path, The just man kept his course along The vale of death. Roses are planted where thorns grow, And on the barren heath Sing the honey bees. Then the perilous path was planted: And a river and a spring On every cliff and tomb; And on the bleached bones Red clay brought forth.

This poem represents a transformation from suffering or difficulty to wisdom or enlightenment or, given the remainder of the book’s message, probably the journey from being repressed to living out one’s wishes and desires.

Often written in book form, an epic is a long narrative poem that tells heroic stories or describes grand adventures. It often follows a larger-than-life protagonist who embarks on a remarkable journey or faces extraordinary challenges. They are known for their elevated language, epic similes, and grand scale.

They’re filled with heroic deeds, mythical creatures, and epic battles, and are often about legendary heroes and their quests, exploring themes of honor, bravery, and the human condition.

John Milton’s Paradise Lost , for example, draws on biblical themes and epic poetic storytelling to explore the Fall of Man, the temptation of Adam and Eve by Satan, the consequences of disobedience, free will, redemption, and the struggle between temptation and virtue. It doesn’t get any more epic than that.

Through a series of verses, a ballad poem tells a story. It often has a musical quality and is designed to be sung or recited. Ballads typically focus on themes of love, adventure, tragedy, or folklore, and they often have a regular rhyme scheme and a simple, repetitive structure.

They were traditionally passed down orally through generations, preserving stories and legends in a captivating and memorable way.

“The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes explores themes of loyalty, passion, betrayal, and the consequences of pursuing a dangerous life of adventure. It tells the tragic story of a daring highwayman, a robber on horseback, who is in love with Bess, the innkeeper’s daughter.

When the highwayman is betrayed to the authorities by a jealous stableman, Bess warns him but has to sacrifice her life in the process. He is then killed in an unsuccessful attempt at revenge, and the ghosts of the two lovers meet in the afterlife, riding together eternally on the highway.

Metrical Romance

The narrative poetry known as Metrical romance presents stories of chivalry, love, adventure, or tragedy. They often follow a knight or hero on a quest.

Tristan and Iseult is a story that has been told in numerous forms, in poems, operas, plays, novels and even movies. It recounts the forbidden love between Tristan, a knight, and Iseult, the Irish princess that is married to his uncle.

In the long Matthew Arnold poem, Tristram misses his Irish Iseult so much that he marries another woman called Iseult, whom he does not love. While he is on his deathbed, his Irish Iseult arrives, gives him a final kiss, and promises never to leave his side. She subsequently dies with him while his loyal wife looks on.

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. It honors nature, which provides a setting for the ideas of love, beauty, and simplicity.

Rural life is often contrasted with urban existence as free from complexities and challenges. These poems evoke a sense of nostalgia and harmony with the natural world. They usually contain imagery and vivid descriptions of landscapes.

We will describe the most common types below.

Basic Pastoral Poetry

This is the most basic form of this genre that includes most of the elements mentioned above. The beauty of nature, a romanticized depiction of rural life, and an appeal to simplicity.

In Christopher Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”, the shepherd invites his love to come and live with him, and tells a story about how good it will be. Look at the first two stanzas:

Come live with me, and be my love; And we will all the pleasures prove That hills and valleys, dales and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields. And we will sit upon the rocks, Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks By shallow rivers to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals.

Often the shortest type in this category, eclogues are short pastoral poems often written in dialogue form , featuring shepherds or landowners engaging in conversations about love, nature, and social issues.

Virgil’s “Eclogue 1”, for example, is a conversation between two people, one of whom has been forced off his land. He tells of his meeting with a god in Rome who answered his plea and allowed him to keep his land. He wishes his interlocutor could spend a night there with him.

It ends with:

Yet you might have rested here with me tonight on green leaves: we have ripe apples, soft chestnuts, and a wealth of firm cheeses: and now the distant cottage roofs show smoke and longer shadows fall from the high hills.

Georgic Poetry

This is where poetry meets practicality. Georgic poetry focuses on natural or rural themes, offering practical advice on farming, gardening, and agricultural pursuits.

Virgil wrote this introduction to his Georgics :

What makes the cornfield smile; beneath what star Maecenas, it is meet to turn the sod Or marry elm with vine; how tend the steer; What pains for cattle-keeping, or what proof Of patient trial serves for thrifty bees; — Such are my themes.

Pastoral Elegy

Pastoral elegies combine the pastoral setting with themes of mourning and loss, often lamenting the death of a loved one.

John Milton’s “Lycidas” mourns his friend, Edward King, who died when his ship was wrecked. It starts with:

Yet once more, O ye laurels, and once more Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere, I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude, And with forc’d fingers rude Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year. Bitter constraint and sad occasion dear Compels me to disturb your season due; For Lycidas is dead, dead ere his prime, Young Lycidas, and hath not left his peer.

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. The poet may present multiple perspectives through the voices of different characters.

There is often a narrative or plot that unfolds through the dialogue and actions of the characters. It can depict conflicts, resolutions, and other dramatic events.

Often very emotional in nature, monologue poems feature a solitary speaker who delivers an extended speech or narrative, usually revealing their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. The character addresses their monologue to someone else.

“My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning is a monologue poem in which the Duke of Ferrara reveals his thoughts and feelings about his deceased wife as he shows a portrait of her to a visitor, subtly conveying his possessiveness and controlling nature.

That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands.

Soliloquy poems are also written as monologues, but they focus on the character’s self-reflection and introspection. It is personal and confidential, and not shared with another character.

When asking “To be or not to be,” Shakespeare’s Hamlet runs through some metaphors to compare the suffering and unfairness of life and death to determine which is worse.

As a category, light and satirical poetry is characterized by its playful, amusing, and often humorous approach, aiming to entertain and bring a smile to readers’ faces.

These types of poems use devices like witty wordplay, comical situations, irony, ridicule, and satire to make fun of someone or something.

Let’s examine different forms of this genre.

Satirical Poetry

Poems that use irony, wit, humor, or ridicule to criticize vices or follies in individuals, society, or institutions are what we call satirical poetry. It employs satire as a means of social commentary, often employing exaggeration or absurdity to highlight and critique flaws. They have no structural rules.

The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll humorously follows a group of characters in search of an elusive, non-existent thing called a “Snark.” It satirizes various aspects of society and human behavior while showcasing Carroll’s whimsical wordplay.

While satirical poetry is usually humorous, it can also take on serious subjects, as in The Masque of Anarchy by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This poem offers a satirical critique of the British government and its oppressive measures during the Peterloo Massacre in 1819. Here is an extract:

I met Murder on the way – He had a mask like Castlereagh – Very smooth he looked, yet grim; Seven blood-hounds followed him: All were fat; and well they might Be in admirable plight, For one by one, and two by two, He tossed the human hearts to chew Which from his wide cloak he drew.

An epigram poem is a concise and witty statement that expresses a clever or insightful idea. It aims to convey a sharp or satirical observation, often with a humorous or ironic twist.

American poet Ogden Nash wrote “Ice Breaking”, which is one of the most famous ones:

Candy Is dandy, But liquor Is quicker.

Short, humorous poems with a light-hearted, often nonsensical tone are called limericks. They consist of five lines with an AABBA rhyme scheme, where the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme, and the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other. They often include wordplay, clever twists, or surprise endings.

British poet Edward Lear wrote many of them, including this classic:

There was an Old Man with a beard Who said, “It is just as I feared! Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!”

Clerihews are four-line poems that focus on a person or character, typically with humorous and light-hearted observations. They often have an AABB rhyme scheme and are known for their witty and satirical tone.

Here, their inventor, Edmund Clerihew Bentley, pretends that the chemist Sir Humphrey Davy is upset about the fact that gravy contains so much sodium, the very element that Davy discovered.

Sir Humphrey Davy Abominated gravy. He lived in the odium Of having discovered Sodium.

Referential poems use the arrangement of their words to refer to something else, such as a person, poem, or object, usually to pay tribute.

There are two common types that we will describe below.

Acrostic poems

In acrostic poems, the first letter (or sometimes other specific letters) of each line, when read vertically from top to bottom, spell out a word, name, or phrase. The selected word or phrase is usually related to the subject or theme of the poem, but can also refer to something else. The rest of the structure is up to the poet.

“A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky” appears at the end of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass . The first letter of each line spells out the name of the real-life Alice, Alice Pleasance Liddell. The “Alice” portion goes like this:

A boat beneath a sunny sky, Lingering onward dreamily In an evening of July — Children three that nestle near, Eager eye and willing ear,

Golden Shovel Poems

Created by American poet Terrance Hayes, golden shovel poems pay homage to a chosen line or lines from an existing poem. This is the newest poetic form on this list.

A line or lines from an existing poem serve as the “spine” of the new poem. Each word in the selected line is then used as the last word in each line of the new poem, in order. The poet then writes new lines that build upon or respond to the selected line.

“The Golden Shovel” by Terrance Hayes is the original Golden shovel poem that inspired the form itself. It uses Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “We Real Cool” as the source material, with each word from Brooks’ poem serving as the last word in each line of Hayes’ poem. You can see the “We Real Cool” in the first three lines:

When I am so small Da’s sock covers my arm, we cruise at twilight until we find the place the real men lean, bloodshot and translucent with cool.

A broad poetic category known as experimental poetry pushes the boundaries of traditional poetic conventions. It encompasses various innovative and unconventional approaches, often challenging conventional forms, structures, language usage, and thematic exploration.

Poetry that does not adhere to the traditional rules of meter, rhyme, or specific poetic forms is known as free verse. It is characterized by its freedom from strict structure, allowing poets to experiment with line breaks, rhythm, and language without the constraints of predetermined patterns.

“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg, for example, uses 112 non-rhyming paragraph-like lines to describe scenes from the beat generation, with hardly any punctuation except for commas. Here is an extract:

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night, who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness of cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities contemplating jazz,

Prose Poems

Prose poems combine the elements of poetry and prose. Unlike traditional poems, which use line breaks and stanzas, they are written in prose form, with sentences and paragraphs that flow without the typical line breaks associated with poetry. The poets do use other poetic elements, however, like alliteration, metaphor, metered structure, and soft rhyming. It originated in 19th-century France.

Look at the natural flow of this excerpt from “Spring Day” by Amy Lowell:

The day is fresh-washed and fair, and there is a smell of tulips and narcissus in the air. The sunshine pours in at the bath-room window and bores through the water in the bath-tub in lathes and planes of greenish-white. It cleaves the water into flaws like a jewel, and cracks it to bright light.

Erasure Poems

Created by selectively erasing or blacking out words from an existing text, erasure poems reveal a new composition. The poet takes an existing source text, such as a newspaper article, book page, or even a poem, and removes or obscures certain words to create a new poetic work. The poem can be written with lines or stanzas, or it can be left on the original text.

Austin Kleon has written a whole book of surprisingly deep poems by crossing out bits of newspaper columns. He appropriately called it Newspaper Blackout .

Echo verse is a poetic form that emphasizes repetition within the structure of the poem. It deliberately repeats certain words, phrases, or sounds at specific intervals throughout the poem, creating a rhythmic and musical effect.

In a haunting poem called “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe, the phrases “Annabel Lee” and “the sea” are repeated throughout, emphasizing the speaker’s undying love for his dead beloved. It begins:

It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me. I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea, But we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee—

Concrete Poetry

In concrete poetry, the visual presentation of the text on the page is an integral part of the poem’s meaning and expression. The arrangement of words, letters, and symbols on the page forms a visual representation that complements or enhances the content of the poem.

“The Mouse’s Tale” by Lewis Carroll appears in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland . It takes the form of a long, winding, and visually intricate tail (pun intended) that visually depicts the narrative of a mouse’s adventures.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we will address common questions about poetry, its definitions, and its characteristics.

What are the Main Types of Poetry?

The most important and enduring types of poetry include the sonnet, haiku, ballad, ode, elegy, limerick, epic, and free verse, each with its own unique characteristics.

Poetry vs. Poem: What’s the Difference?

Poetry refers to the broad category of literary art characterized by the use of imaginative and rhythmic language to evoke emotions, express ideas, and explore the human condition. A poem, on the other hand, is a specific piece of writing that embodies the art form of poetry. In other words, poetry is the artistic category, while a poem is a specific example of it in practice. Like a garden is made up of many flowers, poetry is made up of many poems.

Does Poetry Have to Rhyme?

No, poetry does not have to rhyme. While rhyming is a common poetic technique, it is not a requirement for a piece of writing to be considered poetry. Free verse, for example, is a form of poetry that does not rely on rhyme.

What is a Poem That Doesn’t Rhyme Called?

A poem that doesn’t rhyme is called “free verse”, a type of poetry that has no formal rules and constraints. It allows poets greater freedom and flexibility in terms of structure, line breaks, and rhythm. Instead of relying on rhyme, free verse emphasizes other poetic elements such as imagery, symbolism, and figurative language.

Are Poetry Books Popular?

There is a strong and dedicated readership for poetry, and an increasing number of people now read it. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, 11.7% of American adults read poetry, the highest numbers since they started their surveys.

What Makes Good Poetry?

Good poetry evokes strong emotions, uses descriptive and imaginative language, explores profound ideas or themes, is written in concise style, and pays attention to the musicality and rhythm of words.

Is Poetry a Form of Art?

Yes, poetry is a form of art, celebrated for its creative and imaginative use of language and its ability to capture the essence of human experiences in a condensed and memorable way.

Final Thoughts

Exploring the diverse world of poetry reveals a rich tapestry of forms and styles that transcend all boundaries. Whether it’s the rhythmic elegance of a sonnet or the visual intricacy of concrete poetry, these diverse forms remind us that poetry is a vibrant and ever-evolving art form that continues to inspire and captivate readers across generations.

So, let these examples be an invitation to explore, experiment, and embrace the infinite world of poetic expression.

Craft of Writing Quiz (Hard)

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Types of Poetry: The Complete Guide with 28 Examples

by Fija Callaghan

Poetry has been around for almost four thousand years, predating even written language, and it’s still evolving all the time. Let’s explore some of the different types of poems you might come across, including rhymed poetry and free verse poetry, and how experimenting with a poem’s structure can make you a better poet.

Why do the different forms of poetry matter?

Poetic forms are important when we write poems for three main reasons:

1. Forms make poetry easier to remember

At its inception, poetry was used as a way to pass down stories and ideas to new generations. Poetry has been around longer than the written word, but even after people started writing things down, some cultures continued telling stories orally. They did this by telling stories as poems. Using set rhyme schemes, meters, and rhythms made it easier to learn those poems by heart.

2. Form shapes the rhythm and sound of a poem

Using poetic structure helps shape the way a poem will sound when it’s spoken out loud. Even though most of our poetry today is written down, it’s still heard at live performances, and we’ll often “hear” a poem in our head as we’re reading it. Different types of poetry will have different auditory moods and rhythms, which contributes to the overall emotional effect.

3. Form challenges our use of language

As writers, we always want to be challenging ourselves to use words in new and exciting ways. Using the constraints of formal poetry is a great way to stretch our imagination and come up with new ideas. The story theorist Robert McKee calls this “creative limitation.” By imposing limits on what we can do, we’ll instinctively look for ever more creative and imaginative ways to use the limited space that we’re given.

Free verse poetry vs. rhymed poetry

These days, rhymed poetry has fallen out of vogue with contemporary poets, though it still has its champions. In the early 20th century free verse, or free form, poetry was embraced for its fluid, conversational qualities, and dominates the poetic landscape today. It became popular in part because it feels less like a performance and more like you’re talking directly to the reader.

Rhymed poetry, on the other hand, is great for getting a message across to the reader or listener. Most pop songs today are, at least in part, rhymed poetry—that’s why we remember them and find ourselves mulling over the lyrics days later.

We’ll look more at different types of free verse poetry and rhymed poetry, and you can see which ones work best for you.

27 Types of Poetry

You might recognize some of these types of poems from reading poetry like them in school (Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, and Walt Whitman are all names you’ve probably come across in English class!) Others might be new to you. Once you know a little bit more about these common forms (and some less common ones), you can even enjoy writing some of your own!

A haiku is a traditional cornerstone of Japanese poetry with no set rhyme scheme, but a specific shape: three lines composed of five syllables in the first line, seven in the second line, and five in the third line.

Occasionally, some traditional Japanese haiku won’t fit this format because the syllables change when they’re translated into English; but when you’re writing your own haiku poem in your native language, you should try to adhere to this structure.

Haiku poems are often explorations of the natural world, but they can be about anything you like. They’re deceptively simple ideas with a lot of poignancy under the surface.

Here’s an example of a haiku poem, “Over the Wintry” by Natsume Sōseki:

Over the wintry Forest, winds howl in rage With no leaves to blow.

Learn more about writing your own haiku poetry in our dedicated Academy article.

2. Limerick

A limerick is a short, famous poetic form consisting of five lines that follow the rhyme form AABBA. Usually these are quite funny and tell a story. The first two lines should have eight or nine syllables each, the third and fourth lines should have five or six syllables each, and the final line eight or nine syllables again.

Limericks are great learning devices for children because their rhythm makes them so easy to remember. Here’s a fun example of a limerick, “There Was A Small Boy Of Quebec” by Rudyard Kipling:

There was a small boy of Quebec, Who was buried in snow to his neck; When they said, “Are you friz?” He replied, “Yes, I is— But we don’t call this cold in Quebec.”

3. Clerihew

Clerihews are a little bit like limericks in that they’re short, funny, and often satirical. A clerihew is made up of four lines (or several four-line stanzas) with the rhyme scheme AABB, and the first line of the stanza must be a person’s name.

This poetry type is great for helping people remember things (or enacting some good-natured revenge). Here’s a famous example, “Sir Humphrey Davy” by Edmund Clerihew Bentley, the inventor of the eponymous clarihew:

Sir Humphrey Davy Abominated gravy. He lived in the odium Of having discovered sodium.

4. Cinquain

A cinquain is a five-line poem consisting of twenty-two syllables: two in the first line, then four, then six, then eight, and then two syllables again in the last line. These are deceptively simple poems with a lovely musicality that make the writer think hard about the perfect word choices.

Here’s an example of a cinquain poem, “November Night” by Adelaide Crapsey:

Listen… With faint dry sound, Like steps of passing ghosts, The leaves, frost-crisp’d, break from the trees And fall.

A triolet is a traditional French single-stanza poem of eight lines with a rhyme scheme of ABAAABAB; however, it only consists of five unique lines. The first line is repeated as the fourth and seventh line, and the second line is repeated as the very last line. Although simple, a well-written triolet will bring new depth and meaning to the repeated lines each time. Here’s an example of a classic triolet poem, “How Great My Grief” by Thomas Hardy:

How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee! Have the slow years not brought to view How great my grief, my joys how few, Nor memory shaped old times anew, Nor loving-kindness helped to show thee How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee?

A dizain is another traditional form made up of just one ten-line stanza, and with each line having ten syllables (that’s an even hundred in total). The rhyme scheme for a dizain is ABABBCCDCD. This poetry type was a favorite of French poets in the 15th and 16th century, and many English poets adapted it into larger works. Here’s an great example of a dizain poem, “Names” by Brad Osborne:

If true that a rose by another name Holds in its fine form fragrance just as sweet If vivid beauty remains just the same And if other qualities are replete With the things that make a rose so complete Why bother giving anything a name Then on whom may I place deserved blame When new people’s names I cannot recall There seems to be an underlying shame So why do we bother with names at all

A sonnet is a lyric poem that always has fourteen lines. The oldest type of sonnet is the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet, which is broken into two stanzas of eight lines and six lines. The first stanza has a consistent rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA and the second stanza has a rhyme scheme of either CDECDE or CDCDCD.

Later on, an ambitious bloke by the name of William Shakespeare developed the English sonnet (which later came to be known as the Shakespearean sonnet). It still has fourteen lines, but the rhyme scheme is different and it uses a rhythm called iambic pentameter. It has four distinctive parts, which might be separate stanzas or they might be all linked together. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

William Shakespeare is famous for using iambic pentameter in his sonnets, but you can experiment with different rhythms and see what works best for you. Here’s one of his most famous sonnets, Sonnet 18:

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimm’d; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st; So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

8. Blank verse

Blank verse is a type of poetry that’s written in a precise meter, usually iambic pentameter, but without rhyme. This is reminiscent of Shakespearean sonnets and many of his plays, but it reflects a movement that puts rhythm above rhyme.

Though each line of blank verse must be ten syllables, there’s no restriction on the amount of lines or individual stanzas. Here’s an excerpt from a poem in blank verse, the first stanza of “Frost at Midnight” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge:

The Frost performs its secret ministry, Unhelped by any wind. The owlet’s cry Came loud—and hark, again! loud as before. The inmates of my cottage, all at rest, Have left me to that solitude, which suits Abstruser musings: save that at my side My cradled infant slumbers peacefully. ’Tis calm indeed! so calm, that it disturbs And vexes meditation with its strange And extreme silentness. Sea, hill, and wood, This populous village! Sea, and hill, and wood, With all the numberless goings-on of life, Inaudible as dreams! the thin blue flame Lies on my low-burnt fire, and quivers not; Only that film, which fluttered on the grate

9. Villanelle

A villanelle is a type of French poem made up of nineteen lines grouped into six separate stanzas. The first five stanzas have three lines each, and the last stanza has four lines. Each three-line stanza rhymes ABA, and the last one ABAA.

Villanelles tend to feature a lot of repetition, which lends them a musical quality; usually the very first and third lines become the alternating last lines of each following stanza. This can be a bit like putting a puzzle together. Here’s an example to show you how it looks: “My Darling Turns to Poetry at Night,” a famous villanelle by Anthony Lawrence:

My darling turns to poetry at night. What began as flirtation, an aside Between abstract expression and first light Now finds form as a silent, startled flight Of commas on her face—a breath, a word… My darling turns to poetry at night. When rain inspires the night birds to create Rhyme and formal verse, stanzas can be made Between abstract expression and first light. Her heartbeat is a metaphor, a late Bloom of red flowers that refuse to fade. My darling turns to poetry at night. I watch her turn. I do not sleep. I wait For symbols, for a sign that fear has died Between abstract expression and first light. Her dreams have night vision, and in her sight Our bodies leave ghostprints on the bed. My darling turns to poetry at night Between abstract expression and first light.

10. Paradelle

The paradelle is a complex and demanding variation of the villanelle, developed in France in the 11th century… except it wasn’t. It was, in fact, a hoax developed in the 20th century that got drastically out of hand. The American poet Billy Collins invented the paradelle as a satire of the popular villanelle and, like many happy accidents, the paradelle was embraced as a welcome challenge and is now part of contemporary poetry’s repertoire.

A paradelle is composed of four six-line stanzas. In each of the first three stanzas, the first two lines must be the same, the second two lines must be the same, and the final two lines must contain every word from the first and third lines, and only those words, rearranged in a new order. The fourth and final stanza must contain every word from the fifth and sixth lines of the first three stanzas, and only those words, again rearranged in a new order.

11th-century relic or not, this poetry form is a great exercise for playing with words. Here’s an excerpt from the original paradelle that started it all, the first stanzas of “Paradelle for Susan” by Billy Collins:

I remember the quick, nervous bird of your love. I remember the quick, nervous bird of your love. Always perched on the thinnest highest branch. Always perched on the thinnest highest branch. Thinnest love, remember the quick branch. Always nervous, I perched on you highest bird the. It is time for me to cross the mountain. It is time for me to cross the mountain. And find another shore to darken with my pain. And find another shore to darken with my pain. Another pain for me to darken the mountain. And find the time, cross my shore, to with it is to. The weather warm, the handwriting familiar. The weather warm, the handwriting familiar. Your letter flies from my hand into the waters below. Your letter flies from my hand into the waters below. The familiar water below my warm hand. Into handwriting your weather flies you letter the from the. I always cross the highest letter, the thinnest bird. Below the waters of my warm familiar pain, Another hand to remember your handwriting. The weather perched for me on the shore. Quick, your nervous branch flew from love. Darken the mountain, time and find was my into it was with to to.

11. Sestina

A sestina is a complex French poetry form (a real one, this time) composed of thirty-nine lines in seven stanzas—six stanzas of six lines each, and one stanza of three lines. Each word at the end of each line in the first stanza then gets repeated at the end of each line in each following stanza, but in a different order.

Some poets use favorite metres or rhyme schemes in their sestina poems, but you don’t have to. The classic form of a sestina is:

First stanza: ABCDEF; each letter represents the word at the end of each line.

Second stanza: FAEBDC

Third stanza: CFDABE

Fourth stanza: ECBFAD

Fifth stanza: DEACFB

Sixth stanza: BDFECA

Seventh stanza: ACE or ECA

Here’s an excerpt from a modern example of a sestina, the first stanzas of “A Miracle For Breakfast” by Elizabeth Bishop. Looking at the first two stanzas, you can see that the repeated end words match the mixed-up letter guide above.

At six o’clock we were waiting for coffee, waiting for coffee and the charitable crumb that was going to be served from a certain balcony like kings of old, or like a miracle. It was still dark. One foot of the sun steadied itself on a long ripple in the river. The first ferry of the day had just crossed the river. It was so cold we hoped that the coffee would be very hot, seeing that the sun was not going to warm us; and that the crumb would be a loaf each, buttered, by a miracle. At seven a man stepped out on the balcony.

A rondel is a French type of poetry made of three stanzas: the first two are four lines long, and the third is five or six lines long. The first two lines of the poems are refrains which are repeated as the last two lines of the following two stanzas—although sometimes the poet will choose only one line to repeat at the very last line.

Rondels usually use a ABBA ABAB ABBAA rhyme scheme, but they can be written in any meter. Here’s an example of a traditional rondel poem, “The Wanderer” by Henry Austin Dobson:

Love comes back to his vacant dwelling— The old, old Love that we knew of yore! We see him stand by the open door, With his great eyes sad, and his bosom swelling. He makes as though in our arms repelling, He fain would lie as he lay before;— Love comes back to his vacant dwelling, The old, old Love that we knew of yore! Ah, who shall help us from over-spelling That sweet, forgotten, forbidden lore! E’en as we doubt in our heart once more, With a rush of tears to our eyelids welling, Love comes back to his vacant dwelling.

A ghazal is an old Arabic poetry form consisting of at least ten lines, but no more than thirty, all written in two-line stanzas called couplets. The first two lines of a ghazal end with the same word, but the words just preceding the last lines will rhyme. From this point on, the second line of each couplet will have the same last word, and the word just before it will rhyme with the others.

Ghazals are traditionally a poem of love and longing, but they can be written about any feeling or idea. Here’s an excerpt from a ghazal poem, the first stanzas of “Ghazal of the Better-Unbegun” by Heather McHugh:

Too volatile, am I? too voluble? too much a word-person? I blame the soup: I’m a primordially stirred person. Two pronouns and a vehicle was Icarus with wings. The apparatus of his selves made an absurd person. The sound I make is sympathy’s: sad dogs are tied afar. But howling I become an ever more unheard person.

14. Golden shovel

A golden shovel poem is a more recent poetry form that was developed by poet Terrance Hayes and inspired by Gwendolyn Brooks. Though it’s much newer than many of the types of poetry on this list, it has been enthusiastically embraced in contemporary poetry.

It’s a bit like an acrostic-style poem in that it hides a secret message: the last word of every line of a golden shovel poem is a word from another poem’s title or line, or a saying or headline you want to work with.

For example, if you want to write a golden shovel poem about the line, “dead men tell no tales,” the first line of your poem would end in “dead,” the second line in “men,” and so on until you can read your entire message along the right-hand side of the poem.

Here’s an excerpt from Terrance Hayes’s poem that started the golden shovel trend:

When I am so small Da’s sock covers my arm, we cruise at twilight until we find the place the real men lean, bloodshot and translucent with cool. His smile is a gold-plated incantation as we drift by women on bar stools, with nothing left in them but approachlessness. This is a school I do not know yet. But the cue sticks mean we are rubbed by light, smooth as wood, the lurk of smoke thinned to song. We won’t be out late.

15. Palindrome

Palindrome poems, also called “mirror poems,” are poems that begin repeating backwards halfway through, so that the first line and the last line are the same, the second line and the second-to-last line are the same, and so on.

They’re a challenging yet fun way to show two sides of the same story. Here’s an example of a palindrome poem, “On Reflection” by Kristin Bock:

Far from the din of the articulated world, I wanted to be content in an empty room— a barn on the hillside like a bone, a limbo of afternoons strung together like cardboard boxes, to be free of your image— crown of bees, pail of black water staggering through the pitiful corn. I can’t always see through it. The mind is a pond layered in lilies. The mind is a pond layered in lilies. I can’t always see through it staggering through the pitiful corn. Crown of Bees, Pail of Black Water, to be of your image— a limbo of afternoons strung together like cardboard boxes, a barn on the hillside like a bone. I wanted to be content in an empty room far from the din of the articulated world.

An ode is a poetic form of celebration used to honor a person, thing, or idea. They’re often overflowing with intense emotion and powerful imagery.

Odes can be used in conjunction with formal meters and rhyme schemes, but they don’t have to be; often poets will favor internal rhymes instead, to give their ode a sense of rhythm.

This is a more open-ended poetry type you can use to show your appreciation for something or someone. Here’s an excerpt from one of the most famous and beautiful odes, written in celebration of autumn: “To Autumn” by John Keats:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run; To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For Summer has o’er-brimmed their clammy cells.

An elegy is similar to an ode in that it celebrates a person or idea, but in this instance is the poem centers around something that has died or been lost.

There’s a tradition among poets to write elegies for one another once another poet has died. Sometimes these are obvious memoriams of a deceased person, and other times the true meaning will be hidden behind layers of symbolism and metaphor.

Like the ode, there’s no formal meter or rhyme scheme in an elegy, though you can certainly experiment with using them.

Here’s an excerpt of an elegy written by one poet for another, “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” by W. H. Auden:

He disappeared in the dead of winter: The brooks were frozen, the airports almost deserted, And snow disfigured the public statues; The mercury sank in the mouth of the dying day. What instruments we have agree The day of his death was a dark cold day. Far from his illness The wolves ran on through the evergreen forests, The peasant river was untempted by the fashionable quays; By mourning tongues The death of the poet was kept from his poems.

18. Ekphrasis

Ekphrastic poetry is a little bit like an ode, as it is also written in celebration of something. Ekphrasis, however, is very specific as it’s used to draw attention to a work of art—usually visual art, but it could be something like a song or a work of fiction too. Sometimes ekphrastic poems and odes can overlap, like in John Keats’ “Ode to a Grecian Urn”—an ekphrastic ode.

Ekphrastic poems are most often written about paintings, but it can also be about sculptures, dance, or even theatrical performances.

Ekphrasis has no set meter or rhyme scheme, but some poets like to use them. Here’s an excerpt from an ekphrastic poem, “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton, in celebration of Van Gogh’s painting:

The town does not exist except where one black-haired tree slips up like a drowned woman into the hot sky. The town is silent. The night boils with eleven stars. Oh starry starry night! This is how I want to die. It moves. They are all alive. Even the moon bulges in its orange irons to push children, like a god, from its eye. The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars. Oh starry starry night! This is how I want to die.

19. Pastoral

Pastoral poetry can take any meter or rhyme scheme, but it focuses on the beauty of nature. These poems draw attention to idyllic settings and romanticize the idea of shepherds and agriculture laborers living in harmony with the natural world.

Often these traditional pastoral poems carry a religious overtone, suggesting that by bringing oneself closer to nature they were also becoming closer to their spirituality. They can be written in free verse, or in poetic structure. Here’s an excerpt from a famous pastoral poem, “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by Christopher Marlowe:

Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields. And we will sit upon the rocks, Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks, By shallow rivers to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals.

An epic poem is a grand, overarching story written in verse—they’re the novels of the poetry world. This is sometimes called ballad poetry, or narrative poetry. Before stories were written as novels and short stories and then, later, screenplays, all of our classic tales would be written as a narrative poem.

Experimenting with epic poems, such as writing a short story all in verse, is a great way to give your writer’s muscles a workout. These don’t have a specific rhyme scheme or metre, although many classic epic poems do use them to give a sense of rhythm and unity to the piece.

Here’s an excerpt from one of our oldest surviving epic poems, “Beowulf,” translated from old English by Frances B. Gummere:

Lo, praise of the prowess of people-kings of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped, we have heard, and what honor the athelings won! Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes, from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore, awing the earls. Since erst he lay friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him: for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve, till before him the folk, both far and near, who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate, gave him gifts: a good king he!

(Irish poet Seamus Heaney has also completed an even more modern translation for the layperson.)

A ballad is similar to an epic in that it tells a story, but it’s much shorter and a bit more structured. This poetry form is made up of four-line stanzas (as many as are needed to tell the story) with a rhyme scheme of ABCB.

Ballads were originally meant to be set to music, which is where we get the idea of our slow, sultry love song ballads today. A lot of traditional ballads are all in dialogue, where two characters are speaking back and forth.

Here’s an excerpt from a traditional ballad poem, “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats:

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge has withered from the lake, And no birds sing. O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, So haggard and so woe-begone? The squirrel’s granary is full, And the harvest’s done.

22. Acrostic

In acrostic poems, certain letters of each line spell out a word or message. Usually the letters that spell the message will be the first letter of each line, so that you can read the secret word right down the margin; however, you can also use the letters at the end or down the middle of the lines to hide a secret message. Acrostic poems are especially popular with children and are sometimes called “name poems.”

Here’s an example of an acrostic poem, “A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky” by Lewis Carroll. The first letter of each line spells out “Alice Pleasance Liddell,” who was a young friend of Carroll’s and the inspiration behind Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland .

A boat beneath a sunny sky, L ingering onward dreamily I n an evening of July— C hildren three that nestle near, E ager eye and willing ear, P leased a simple tale to hear— L ong has paled that sunny sky: E choes fade and memories die: A utumn frosts have slain July. S till she haunts me, phantomwise, A lice moving under skies N ever seen by waking eyes. C hildren yet, the tale to hear, E ager eye and willing ear, L ovingly shall nestle near. I n a Wonderland they lie, D reaming as the days go by, D reaming as the summers die: E ver drifting down the stream— L ingering in the golden gleam— L ife, what is it but a dream?

23. Concrete

A concrete poem, sometimes called a shape poem, is a visual poem structure where the shape of the poem resembles its content or message. These are another favorite with children, although they can be used to communicate powerful adult ideas, too.

When writing concrete poetry, you can experiment with different fonts, sizes, and even colors to create your visual poem. Here’s an example of a concrete poem, “Sonnet in the Shape of a Potted Christmas Tree” by George Starbuck:

* O fury- bedecked! O glitter-torn! Let the wild wind erect bonbonbonanzas; junipers affect frostyfreeze turbans; iciclestuff adorn all cuckolded creation in a madcap crown of horn! It’s a new day; no scapegrace of a sect tidying up the ashtrays playing Daughter-in-Law Elect; bells! bibelots! popsicle cigars! shatter the glassware! a son born now now while ox and ass and infant lie together as poor creatures will and tears of her exertion still cling in the spent girl’s eye and a great firework in the sky drifts to the western hill.

24. Prose poem

A prose poem combines elements of both prose writing and poetry into something new. Prose poems don’t have shape and line breaks in the way that traditional poems do, but they make use of poetic devices like meter, internal rhyme, alliteration, metaphor, imagery, and symbolism to create a snapshot of prose that reads and feels like a poem.

Here’s an example of a prose poem, “Be Drunk” by Charles Baudelaire:

You have to be always drunk. That’s all there is to it—it’s the only way. So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks your back and bends you to the earth, you have to be continually drunk. But on what? Wine, poetry or virtue, as you wish. But be drunk. And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace or the green grass of a ditch, in the mournful solitude of your room, you wake again, drunkenness already diminishing or gone, ask the wind, the wave, the star, the bird, the clock, everything that is flying, everything that is groaning, everything that is rolling, everything that is singing, everything that is speaking… ask what time it is and wind, wave, star, bird, clock will answer you: “It is time to be drunk! So as not to be the martyred slaves of time, be drunk, be continually drunk! On wine, on poetry or on virtue as you wish.”

25. Found poetry

Found poetry is a poem made up of a composite of external quotations. This may be from poems, beloved works of literature, newspaper articles, instruction manuals, or political manifestos. You can copy out pieces of text, or you can cut out different words to make a visual collage effect.

Another form of found poetry is blackout poetry, where words are crossed out and removed from an external source to create a new meaning.

These can be a great way to find new or contrasting meaning in everyday life, but always be sure to reference what sources your poem came from originally to avoid plagiarism. Here’s an example of a found poem, “Testimony” by Charles Reznikoff, cut up from law reports between 1885 and 1915:

Amelia was just fourteen and out of the orphan asylum; at her first job—in the bindery, and yes sir, yes ma’am, oh, so anxious to please. She stood at the table, her blond hair hanging about her shoulders, “knocking up” for Mary and Sadie, the stichers (“knocking up” is counting books and stacking them in piles to be taken away).

A nonce poem is a DIY poem structure intended for one-time use to challenge yourself as a writer, or just to try something new. It’s a formal, rigid, standardized poetry form that’s brand new to the world.

For example, you might say, “I’m going to write a poem starting with a three-line stanza, then two four-line stanzas, then another three-line stanza, and each line is going to be eight syllables except the first and last line of the poem which are each going to have eleven syllables, and the last word of every stanza will be true rhymes and the first word of every stanza will be slant rhymes.” And then you do it, just to see if you can.

Nonce poems are a great way to stretch your creativity and language skills to their limit. Then, like Terrance Hayes’s “Golden Shovel,” or Billy Collins’ “Paradelle,” your nonce poem might even catch on! Here’s an excerpt from a nonce poem, “And If I Did, What Then?” by George Gascoigne:

Are you aggriev’d therefore? The sea hath fish for every man, And what would you have more?” Thus did my mistress once, Amaze my mind with doubt; And popp’d a question for the nonce To beat my brains about.

27. Free verse

Free verse is the type of poetry most favored by contemporary poets; it has no set meter, rhyme scheme, or structure, but allows the poet to feel out the content of the poem as they go.

Poets will often still use rhythmic literary devices such as assonance and internal rhymes, but it won’t be bound up with the same creative restraints as more structured poetry. However, even poets that work solely in free verse will usually argue that it’s beneficial to first work up your mastery of language through exercises in more structured poetry forms.

Here’s an example of a poem in free verse, an excerpt from “On Turning Ten,” by Billy Collins:

The whole idea of it makes me feel like I’m coming down with something, something worse than any stomach ache or the headaches I get from reading in bad light— a kind of measles of the spirit, a mumps of the psyche, a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.

3 ways poem structure will make you a better writer

Maybe you’ve fallen in love with formal rhymed poetry, or maybe you think that for you, free verse is the way to go. Either way, it’s good training for a writer to experiment with poetry structure for a few different reasons.

1. Using poetic form will teach you about poetic devices

Using poetic form will open up your world to a huge range of useful poetic devices like assonance, chiasmus, and epistrophe, as well as broader overarching ideas like metaphor, imagery, and symbolism. We talk about these poetic devices a lot in poetry forms, but just about all of them can be used effectively in prose writing, too!

Paying attention to poetic form takes your mastery of language to a whole new level. Then you can take this skill set and apply it to your writing in a whole range of mediums.

2. Writing poems with structure teaches you how to use rhythm

Rhythm is one of the core concepts of all poetry. Rhymes and formal meter are two ways to capture rhythm in your poems, but even in free verse poetry that lacks a formal poetic structure, the key to good poetry is a smooth and addictive rhythm that makes you feel the words in your bones.

Once you start experimenting with poetry forms, you’ll find that you’ll develop an inner ear for the rhythm of language. This rhythmic sense translates into beautiful sentence structure and cadence in other types of writing, from short stories and novels, to marketing copy, to comic books. Rhythm is what makes your words a joy to read.

3. Formal poetry helps you increase your vocabulary and refine your word choice

No matter what you’re writing, specificity is a game changer when it comes to getting a point across to your reader. With the English language being well-populated with nice, easy syllables, many new writers fall into the bad habit of choosing words that are just kind of okay, instead of the exact right word for that moment.

Writing formal poetry forces you to not only expand your vocabulary to find the right word to fit the rhyme scheme or rhythm, but to weigh each word and examine it from all angles before awarding it a place in your poem. This way, when you move into other forms of writing, you’ll carry good habits and a deep respect for language into your work.

Start writing different types of poetry

Learning about different types of poems for the first time can be a bit like opening a floodgate into a whole new way of living. Whether you prefer free verse poetry, lyric poetry, romantic Shakespearean sonnets, short philosophical haiku, or even coming up with your own nonce poetry structure, you’ll find that writing poetry challenges your writer’s muscles in ways you never would have expected. Next time you’re in a creative rut, trying experimenting with poetry forms to get the words flowing in a whole new way.

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How To Write Poetry

Common poetic forms, 15 common poetry forms - examples, pdf templates, poetry is a genre that has a lot of variation. some forms of poetry are extremely structured, following a certain rhyme scheme and syllable count, while others allow more creative freedom..

Some people look at poetry as something they could never write. They think it’s too overwhelming to capture thoughts in concise lines, so they shy away from it, but there is a poetry form for everyone.

There are forms that don’t worry about rhyme scheme , syllable count, stanzas , or the number of lines. Then there are others that are much more structured, providing a needed challenge for some people. They could also provide the necessary structure for those who don’t know where to begin when it comes to writing a poem.

Poets generally have their favorite form(s), the one(s) they come back to again and again. As time passes, this form becomes second nature for them to create. The challenge is no longer there, so to keep a poet fresh, he or she might set out to try a less familiar poetry form. Following different rules of a new structure helps to stretch the imagination.

Whether you are a novice or expert poet, try some of the different forms. Who knows, you might discover a new favorite. Take some time to enjoy the creative expression of writing poetry. 

Explore these common forms, and give them a try.

Emotion Poem

In an ABC poem, each line of the poem begins with a letter in the alphabet, starting with A and moving in order through Z.

Examples of ABC poems:

Poem About A Friend

Accepts you as you are Believes in you Calls you just to say Hi Doesn't give up on you. Envisions the whole of you even the unfinished parts. Forgives your mistakes Gives unconditionally Helps you Invites you over Just be with you Keeps you close at Heart Loves you for who you are Makes a difference in your life Never Judges Offers Support Picks you up Quiets your fears Raises your spirits. Says nice things about you Tells you the truth when you need to hear it Understands You Values You. Walks beside you Explains things you don't understand Yells when you won't listen and Zaps you back to reality.

• Chaotic Places
• Alphabet of Love
• ABC's of Him

Read More ABC Poems

General Templates of ABC Poem (PDF):

• ABC Poem Template on 1 page
• ABC Poem Template on 2 pages

Acrostic is a form of poetry where the first or last letters of each line create a name, word, or phrase.

You can find these words by looking vertically at the beginning or end of the lines.

Examples of Acrostic poems:

F- fiercely loyal to those we love. A- accepting each for who and what they are. M- matchless in our hopes and dreams for one another. I- instilling pride in our hard fought heritage. L- learning about our past guides us in the future. Y- you love and cherish the people of your heart.

• Gently Picked Flower
• The Poetry Masters
• My Sister Is Loving
• A Cry For Help

Read More Acrostic Poems

A bio poem is used to reveal information to the reader about the poet.

Line 1: First name

Line 2: Who is... (descriptive words that describe you)

Line 3: Who is the brother/sister or son/daughter of...

Line 4: Who loves...(three ideas)

Line 5: Who feels...(three ideas)

Line 6: Who needs...(three ideas)

Line 7: Who gives...(three ideas)

Line 8: Who fears...(three ideas)

Line 9: Who would like to see...(three ideas)

Line 10: Who shares...(three ideas)

Line 11: Who is...(three ideas)

Line 12: Who is a resident of...(your town)

Line 13: Last name

Example of a Bio poem:

Tynea Who is creative, loyal, and quiet. Who is the sister of Travis. Who loves writing, fall, and a good book. Who feels excitement, anticipation, and joy. Who needs quiet, sleep, and love. Who fears crocodiles, losing loved ones, and knives. Who would like to see miracles, more sunrises, and Ireland. Who shares laughs, hugs, and advice. Who is a writer, mother, and friend. Who is a resident of Pennsylvania. Lewis

Bio Poem Template (PDF)

A cinquain is a 5 line poem that follows a specific format. There are various types of cinquains. Some are created with a number of words or syllables in mind. Another form is created using various parts of speech.

Line 1- 1 word

Line 2- 2 words

Line 3- 3 words

Line 4- 4 words

Line 5- 1 word

Examples of cinquains based on word count:

Sun by Tynea Lewis

Sun Bright, large A faraway star Gives us light daily Hot

Poems Don't Have to Rhyme

Line 1-2 syllables

Line 2- 4 syllables

Line 3- 6 syllables

Line 4- 8 syllables

Line 5- 2 syllables

Examples of cinquains based on syllable count:

Morning by Tynea Lewis

Restless Waiting for light Darkness covers the earth Until sun crests over the hill Morning

Eucalyptus Tree House

Parts of Speech:

Line 1- noun

Line 2- 2 adjectives

Line 3- 3 -ing words

Line 4- a phrase

Line 5- another word for the noun from line 1

Example of a cinquain based on parts of speech:

Car by Tynea Lewis

Car Fast, yellow Speeding, swerving, moving Carrying teenagers away Transportation

General Templates for Cinquains (PDF):

• Cinquain Template-Word Count
• Cinquain Template-Syllable Count
• Cinquain Template-Parts of Speech

A concrete poem is written in a way that the words create the shape of the subject of the poem.

Examples of Concrete Poems:

A View Of A Cat

                                          I                                sleep      on                              your bed, making                              it my own, and                               and when you are                                 away, I'm at home                                 all alone. I walk                              around the food                           bowl, sniffing out                         what's there, and  if                       there's nothing good, I                     I look at you and stare. I                   curl up near the fire place                 warming up my paws, I                pounce upon the scratch               post, sharpening my claws.               I see a mouse in front               staring straight at me, I                run and try to catch it                 but it runs away from                   thee. You see I am so                     cute, so gorgeous with my                          fur, when                           you                            stroke                                my                              head                                I                            close my                          eyes                  and purr.

• Through Rain, Through Shine
• Girls Are Like Apple Trees

A diamante poem is a 7 line poem that looks like a diamond. It does not have to rhyme.

It can be used to describe 1 topic or 2 opposite topics.

Line 1: 1 word (subject/noun)

Line 2: 2 adjectives that describe line 1

Line 3: 3 -ing words that relate to line 1

Line 4: 4 nouns (first 2 relate to line 1, last 2 relate to line 7--if you're writing about opposite topics)

Line 5: 3 -ing words that relate to line 7

Line 6: 2 adjectives that describe line 7

Line 7: 1 word (subject/noun)

Examples of Diamante Poems:

Noise by Divine Tan

                 Noise           Loud, Boisterous Deafening, Earsplitting, Piercing Clamor, Sound ..... Hush, Quiet    Soothing, Calming, Consoling           Peace, Tranquility                Silence

Loyalty Betrayal (Diamante)

General Templates for Diamante Poems

Synonym Diamante (PDF)

Antonym Diamante-color coded (PDF)

An emotion poem is used to describe various emotions, good or bad, using descriptive language.

There are a couple different emotion poem formats to follow, and you could always come up with your own.

Line 1: State the emotion

Line 2: Describe the emotion as a color

Line 3: It happens when...

Line 4: It sounds like...

Line 5: And smells like...

Line 6: Restate the emotion

Example of an Emotion poem:

Anger by Tynea Lewis

Anger Is the color of lava spilling from a volcano. It happens when a vase shatters into slivers on the floor. It sounds like a car screeching to a halt And smells like burning toast. Anger

Line 2: It smells like...

Line 3: It tastes like...

Line 5: It feels like...

Line 6: It looks like...

Line 7: (Emotion) is...

Example of an emotion poem:

Love by Tynea Lewis

Love It smells like a deep red rose opening in the sun. It tastes like delectable chocolate melting in your mouth. It sounds like the birds chirping on a clear spring morning. It feels like a fire on a cold winter's night. It looks like an ocean scene painted by God. Love is unpredictable and breathtaking.

Try writing an emotion poem yourself:

• Emotion Poem Template (PDF)
• Emotion Poem Template-5 senses (PDF)

Free verse poems do not follow any rules. Their creation is completely in the hands of the author.

Rhyming, syllable count, punctuation, number of lines, number of stanzas, and line formation can be done however the author wants in order to convey the idea.

There is no right or wrong way to create these poems.

Examples of Free Verse Poems:

Dreaming On Paper

I don't talk. My lips part and air pushes out, but the sound must not fit, because my thoughts are so big. So I don't try to talk. My thoughts must be too good for words, for the air, for my lips. But they are just right for paper. My thoughts flow on paper. They are just big enough. So I don't talk; I compose, I write, I dream.

• Hopeful Future
• Swoosh, Boom, Crunch, Howl
• The Pencil Case
• Without You
• Dreaming of the Night

Read More Free Verse Poems

This is a form of Japanese poetry that follows a specific syllable pattern.

It's made up of 3 lines, consisting of 17 syllables in total. Haikus are usually about a specific part of nature.

Line 1: 5 syllables Line 2: 7 syllables Line 3: 5 syllables

Examples of Haiku

Water runs down stream. Fish swimming with the current. Life moving along.

• October's Gold
• Sakura Wa Kawaii Desuyo
• "The Fire" In Haiku

Read More Haiku

Try writing a haiku yourself:

Haiku Template (PDF)

A limerick is a short, humorous poem that follows a determined rhyme scheme of AABBA.

This five line poem also follows a syllable count.

Line 1: 7-10 syllables

Line 2: 7-10 syllables

Line 3: 5-7 syllables

Line 4: 5-7 syllables

Line 5: 7-10 syllables

Examples of Limericks:

A Wonderful Bird Is The Pelican

A wonderful bird is the pelican, His bill will hold more than his belican, He can take in his beak Enough food for a week But I'm damned if I see how the helican!

• Homework Limerick
• Happy Mother's Day Limerick
• Happy Easter Limerick
• Best Limericks By Edward Lear (1812-1888)

Read More Limericks

Try writing a limerick yourself:

Limerick Template (PDF)

A narrative poem tells the story of an event in the form of a poem.

Examples of Narrative Poems:

The Man He Killed

Had he and I but met     By some old ancient inn, We should have set us down to wet     Right many a nipperkin! But ranged as infantry,     And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me,     And killed him in his place. I shot him dead because--     Because he was my foe, Just so: my foe of course he was;     That's clear enough; although He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,     Off-hand like--just as I-- Was out of work--had sold his traps--     No other reason why. Yes; quaint and curious war is!     You shoot a fellow down You'd treat, if met where any bar is,     Or help to half a crown.

• Annabel Lee
• The Charge Of The Light Brigade
• The Spell Of The Yukon

Read More Narrative Poems

• Famous Narrative Poems
• Narrative Poems
• What Is A Narrative Poem?

A pantoum is a poem that uses a lot of repetition. To create this poem, follow these steps.

• Write a quatrain (4 line stanza). Writing emotional lines usually works best.
• Take lines 2 and 4 of the first stanza and make them lines 1 and 3 of the second stanza.
• Take lines 2 and 4 of the second stanza and make them lines 1 and 3 of the third stanza.
• Continue your poem using this pattern.
• For your last stanza, go back to the first stanza of the poem. Make line 3 of the first stanza line 2 of your last. Make line 1 of the first stanza line 4 in your last.

Example of pantoum:

Her smile was visible to all, Showing a dark secret From an inescapable memory Because of the lie she kept telling herself. Showing a dark secret, The light was dimming Because of the lie she kept telling herself. She tried to push the pain aside. The light was dimming From an inescapable memory She tried to push the pain aside. Her smile was visible to all.

Try writing a pantoum yourself:

Pantoum Template (PDF)

A sonnet is a 14 line poem with a specific rhyme scheme. Each type of sonnet follows a different rhyming scheme.

English (Shakespearean) Sonnet

• 14 line poem
• 3 quatrains (4 line stanzas) followed by 1 couplet (2 line stanza)
• Rhyming scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

Examples of English (Shakespearean) Sonnet:

All We Will Be By Tynea Lewis

He sits, paying no attention to me. I wonder what is going through his head. It hurts knowing friends is all we will be. His unexpected glace turns my face red. His mud brown eyes are so piercing and deep. Then a smile fills his flawless, tanned face. If only into his heart I could creep. The slow motion moment makes my heart race. Our time together is a dream come true But I fear he can see into my heart. When I am with him, I don't feel so blue, But something new won't be able to start. Since nothing will be, onward I must go. These feelings I have to hide and not show.

• In The Shadow of Your Warm Love
• A Geisha's Tale
• Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet
• 1 octave (8 line stanza) followed by 1 sestet (6 line stanza)
• Rhyming scheme of ABBAABBA CDCCDC (or CDECDE)

Example of Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet:

When I Consider How My Light Is Spent By John Milton

When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide; "Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?" I fondly ask; but Patience to prevent That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts; who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait."

• Spenserian Sonnet
• 3 quatrains followed by 1 couplet
• Rhyming scheme of ABAB BCBC CDCD EE

Example of Spenserian Sonnet:

Edmund Spenser (c. 1552-1599)

What guile is this, that those her golden tresses She doth attire under a net of gold; And with sly skill so cunningly them dresses, That which is gold or hair, may scarce be told? Is it that men's frail eyes, which gaze too bold, She may entangle in that golden snare; And being caught may craftily enfold Their weaker hearts, which are not yet well aware? Take heed therefore, mine eyes, how ye do stare Henceforth too rashly on that guileful net, In which if ever ye entrapped are, Out of her bands ye by no means shall get. Folly it were for any being free, To covet fetters, though they golden be.

General Templates for Sonnets (PDF):

• English (Shakespearian) Sonnet

A tanka is another Japanese form of poetry that follows a syllable format.

This poem is composed of 5 lines. 

Lines 1 and 3 have 5 syllables.   

Lines 2, 4, and 5 contain 7 syllables each. 

Line 1- 5 syllables

Line 2- 7 syllables

Line 3- 5 syllables

Line 4- 7 syllables

Line 5- 7 syllables

Tanka examples:

Journey of a Dewdrop By Paul Holmes

One diamond dewdrop Sparkles in morning sunlight Then, slowly drips down A dandelion's green stem Nourishing its thirsty roots.

Autumn's Snowflakes A Dog's Passing

Try writing a tanka yourself:

Tanka Template (PDF)

• 5 tercets (3 line stanzas) with ABA rhyme scheme
• Followed by 1 quatrain (4 line stanza) with ABAA rhyme scheme
• The first and third lines of the tercet are alternately repeated as the last lines of the remaining stanzas.

Villanelle Examples:

The End By Tynea Lewis

No one told me about this pain. Everything hurts, even my pride. It's these emotions I am forced to contain. Tears have fallen from my eyes like a steady rain. Nothing can take back those nights I've cried. No one told me about this pain. My feelings I cannot even explain. To you, my heart was open wide. It's these emotions I am forced to contain. I'm at the point where I feel nothing but shame Because I thought you were going to be my guide. No one told me about this pain. With you is where I wanted to remain. Now I have to continue on with a long stride, It's these emotions I am forced to contain. Please tell me our relationship was not in vain. I hope to not regret having tried. No one told me about this pain. It's these emotions I am forced to contain.

• Villanelle By Elizabeth Bishop (1911- 1979) - One Art
• Villanelle By Sylvia Plath (1932- 1963) - Mad Girl's Love Song
• Villanelle By Dylan Thomas (1914- 1953) - Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
• Valentine's Day poem in Villanelle Form - He's My Man
• Poem of hope in Villanelle Form - Brighter Skies
• Villanelle about Christmas - The Coming of Christmas

Try writing a villanelle yourself:

Villanelle Template (PDF)

Resources On The Web

Need help thinking of rhyming words or counting the syllables in words?

• Rhyming Dictionary (five types of rhymes)
• Syllable Dictionary

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Poetry & Poets

Explore the beauty of poetry – discover the poet within

What Is Poetry In Creative Writing

Poetry is one of the oldest forms of creative writing and has been around since ancient times. Poets use language to craft their ideas into vibrant masterpieces that captivate and inspire their audience. In the world of literature and art, poetry has long been regarded as one of the most powerful and emotive forms of creative writing.

Poetry is a creative form of writing that is often used to express feelings and emotions. It is a way for writers to express themselves and paint a vivid picture for their readers. A poem is usually composed of rhyming verses or lines; each line conveying its own meaning and emotion.

The main characteristic that sets poetry aside from the other forms of creative writing is the poet’s ability to use words to evoke imagery, evoke emotions and to tell a story. Poets make use of metaphors, symbols, similes and other figures of speech to create impactful pieces. They are able to bring to life stories and events, by arrangement and choice of words, that appear much more meaningful and alive than they would in other forms of writing.

A well-crafted poem can be a powerful source of inspiration and can instill in readers powerful emotions that can make them feel better, motivate them and give them hope. Poetry has the power to bring out the deepest of emotions, such as joy, sorrow, anger and love.

In addition to the emotional power of poetry, there is also a great deal of beauty and sophistication to be found in the rhyme and meter of the words. Poets employ complex language and creative rhymes to develop a rich and elegant structure to their work.

Poetry is also an effective means for a writer to express his or her thoughts in an accurate and concise manner. Poetry provides a writer with the opportunity to express a concept, idea or feeling in fewer words than traditional prose or standard speech. Poets are extremely creative and resourceful with the ideas that they craft into masterpieces.

Despite the fact that poets have been writing since ancient times, the popularity of poetry has seen a resurgence in recent years, thanks to the invention of the internet and social media, as well as its seeming ubiquitous presence in music. Contemporary poets like Rupi Kaur and Warsan Shire have become prominent figures in modern culture and the world of the written word.

Poetry is more than just a form of creative writing, it is an expression of emotions, a powerful tool of encouragement, and an effective source of inspiration. Poetry reaches deep within, tugging on the innermost depths of one’s emotions and allowing them to surface and be shared.

The Power of Imagery

Using imagery and figurative language is one of the key ways poets make their poetry powerful and meaningful to their readers. Crafted and carefully chosen words, often combined with simile and metaphor, enable writers to vividly describe a setting, a feeling, a situation or an emotion. Imagery gives readers a chance to delve into a poet’s work and experience what they are feeling in a unique way.

Writers use imagery and metaphor to create a captivating and memorable poem. The combination of imagery, metaphor, and carefully chosen words adds a poetic depth to their work that readers can appreciate and relate to. By combining language in this way, poets can paint vivid stories that audience members can envision in their own minds.

Well-crafted imagery and figurative language does more than just paint a picture for the readers, it can evoke powerful emotions that bring the poem to life and stir up feelings within readers that conjure up personal responses. When readers are taken into a piece of written work, they are no longer just abstractly listening to words, they are experiencing the work by feeling the outpouring of emotions expressed in the piece, and this is key to the impact poetry can have on readers.

Imagery can also be used as a tool to better explain and understand complex subject matters. Through the use of imagery, poets can simplify complex ideas like death and regret, and provide readers with a much deeper understanding of the concepts they are writing about.

A great deal of poetry is focused on creating pleasing rhymes and sound patterns. Poets make use of rhyme schemes to create pleasing sound patterns and flows that give their works additional depth and complexity. Rhyme patterns can be used to create powerful and emotive messages, allowing readers to automatically relate the sounds to the feelings expressed in the poem.

Rhymes can help writers create a consistency within their work, allowing them to tie together different ideas and maintain a coherent structure within their poem. The use of rhyme in poems can also help writers maintain a poetic flow, create a feeling of cohesion and make their work easier to follow and read.

In addition to creating pleasing sounds, rhyme schemes can also be used to add more layers of meaning to a poem by giving an additional meaning to certain words and phrases used within the poem. Rhyme patterns can be used to create emphasis and illustrate the poet’s intentions in a powerful manner.

The use of rhymes and sound patterns allow poets to present their work in a unique way and add a level of sophistication to their writing. The use of rhyme is essential to the art of poetry, and it is something that poets take great care in crafting.

The Use of Language

Poetry is an art form that requires an intense use of language. Poets must be creative with their choice of words to craft powerful stories and messages that convey their intended emotions to their audience. It is difficult to create a truly powerful piece of work if a poet is limited in their choice of words or expressions.

A good piece of poetry also requires effective grammar and structure to make it understandable for readers. Poets must organize their words and sentences in an effective manner to ensure that their pieces are easy to understand and comprehend. A poem that is filled with errors or misspellings will make it difficult for readers to accurately interpret the author’s intentions.

Writing poems is a difficult art and it requires a great level of skill to execute it effectively. The use of language is an essential component of writing poetry and it takes practice, discipline and focus to create beautiful and powerful poems that captivate audiences.

In order to write truly captivating poems, it is important for poets to be creative and to experiment with different words and phrases in order to discover the ones that work best for their audiences. Poets must be willing to take risks and to push the boundaries of what is possible and acceptable.

Creativity in Poetry

Creativity is a major component of effective poetry. Poets must push their boundaries and find innovative and creative ways to express themselves. By being creative and exploring different ideas and tactics, poets can make use of different language and develop unique stories and messages that captivate and inspire their readers.

The best poets are constantly exploring new ideas and concepts and introducing new and innovative elements into their works. They are open to new and unique perspectives, they are brave and willing to take risks, and they are constantly challenging themselves and exploring their own thoughts and emotions.

Poetry is an incredibly powerful form of creative writing and it requires a great deal of skill, discipline, and creativity to write it effectively. Poets must have the courage to take risks and the willingness to explore and experiment in order to craft captivating works that engage their audiences and bring their stories to life.

The Impact of Poetry

Poetry is a powerful form of writing that has the unique ability to captivate, inspire and bring to life powerful stories and emotions. Poetry has the ability to bring out the innermost depths of human emotion and allow them to be shared with a wide variety of readers.

By using carefully chosen words, rhymes, imagery and figurative language, poets are able to evoke emotion in a powerful and effective manner. Through their works, they are able to share their stories and experiences with a wide and varied audience in a unique and meaningful way.

Poetry has reached millions of people and it has the ability to invoke powerful emotions in its readers and to create meaningful connections and understanding between them. It is a timeless art form that continues to captivate and inspire readers worldwide.

Poetry has been around for centuries and it has been used as a powerful form of creative writing to express feelings and emotions. Poets make use of carefully chosen words, imagery and figurative language to craft their ideas into vibrant masterpieces that have the power to evoke powerful emotions and bring to life powerful stories and experiences.

Poetry is an incredibly powerful form of writing and it takes immense skill, discipline and creativity to create captivating poems that resonate with readers. It also takes courage to be inventive and to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Dannah Hannah is an established poet and author who loves to write about the beauty and power of poetry. She has published several collections of her own works, as well as articles and reviews on poets she admires. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a specialization in poetics, from the University of Toronto. Hannah was also a panelist for the 2017 Futurepoem book Poetry + Social Justice, which aimed to bring attention to activism through poetry. She lives in Toronto, Canada, where she continues to write and explore the depths of poetry and its influence on our lives.

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Last updated on Feb 14, 2023

10 Types of Creative Writing (with Examples You’ll Love)

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Savannah Cordova

Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery". 

About Rebecca van Laer

Rebecca van Laer is a writer, editor, and the author of two books, including the novella How to Adjust to the Dark. Her work has been featured in literary magazines such as AGNI, Breadcrumbs, and TriQuarterly.

A lot falls under the term ‘creative writing’: poetry, short fiction, plays, novels, personal essays, and songs, to name just a few. By virtue of the creativity that characterizes it, creative writing is an extremely versatile art. So instead of defining what creative writing is , it may be easier to understand what it does by looking at examples that demonstrate the sheer range of styles and genres under its vast umbrella.

To that end, we’ve collected a non-exhaustive list of works across multiple formats that have inspired the writers here at Reedsy. With 20 different works to explore, we hope they will inspire you, too. 

People have been writing creatively for almost as long as we have been able to hold pens. Just think of long-form epic poems like The Odyssey or, later, the Cantar de Mio Cid — some of the earliest recorded writings of their kind. 

Poetry is also a great place to start if you want to dip your own pen into the inkwell of creative writing. It can be as short or long as you want (you don’t have to write an epic of Homeric proportions), encourages you to build your observation skills, and often speaks from a single point of view . 

Here are a few examples:

“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

This classic poem by Romantic poet Percy Shelley (also known as Mary Shelley’s husband) is all about legacy. What do we leave behind? How will we be remembered? The great king Ozymandias built himself a massive statue, proclaiming his might, but the irony is that his statue doesn’t survive the ravages of time. By framing this poem as told to him by a “traveller from an antique land,” Shelley effectively turns this into a story. Along with the careful use of juxtaposition to create irony, this poem accomplishes a lot in just a few lines. 

“Trying to Raise the Dead” by Dorianne Laux

 A direction. An object. My love, it needs a place to rest. Say anything. I’m listening. I’m ready to believe. Even lies, I don’t care.

Poetry is cherished for its ability to evoke strong emotions from the reader using very few words which is exactly what Dorianne Laux does in “ Trying to Raise the Dead .” With vivid imagery that underscores the painful yearning of the narrator, she transports us to a private nighttime scene as the narrator sneaks away from a party to pray to someone they’ve lost. We ache for their loss and how badly they want their lost loved one to acknowledge them in some way. It’s truly a masterclass on how writing can be used to portray emotions. 

If you find yourself inspired to try out some poetry — and maybe even get it published — check out these poetry layouts that can elevate your verse!

Song Lyrics

Poetry’s closely related cousin, song lyrics are another great way to flex your creative writing muscles. You not only have to find the perfect rhyme scheme but also match it to the rhythm of the music. This can be a great challenge for an experienced poet or the musically inclined. 

To see how music can add something extra to your poetry, check out these two examples:

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

 You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well, really, what's it to ya? There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn't matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah 

Metaphors are commonplace in almost every kind of creative writing, but will often take center stage in shorter works like poetry and songs. At the slightest mention, they invite the listener to bring their emotional or cultural experience to the piece, allowing the writer to express more with fewer words while also giving it a deeper meaning. If a whole song is couched in metaphor, you might even be able to find multiple meanings to it, like in Leonard Cohen’s “ Hallelujah .” While Cohen’s Biblical references create a song that, on the surface, seems like it’s about a struggle with religion, the ambiguity of the lyrics has allowed it to be seen as a song about a complicated romantic relationship. 

“I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie

 ​​If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks Then I'll follow you into the dark

You can think of song lyrics as poetry set to music. They manage to do many of the same things their literary counterparts do — including tugging on your heartstrings. Death Cab for Cutie’s incredibly popular indie rock ballad is about the singer’s deep devotion to his lover. While some might find the song a bit too dark and macabre, its melancholy tune and poignant lyrics remind us that love can endure beyond death.

Plays and Screenplays

From the short form of poetry, we move into the world of drama — also known as the play. This form is as old as the poem, stretching back to the works of ancient Greek playwrights like Sophocles, who adapted the myths of their day into dramatic form. The stage play (and the more modern screenplay) gives the words on the page a literal human voice, bringing life to a story and its characters entirely through dialogue. 

Interested to see what that looks like? Take a look at these examples:

All My Sons by Arthur Miller

“I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father.” 

Arthur Miller acts as a bridge between the classic and the new, creating 20th century tragedies that take place in living rooms and backyard instead of royal courts, so we had to include his breakout hit on this list. Set in the backyard of an all-American family in the summer of 1946, this tragedy manages to communicate family tensions in an unimaginable scale, building up to an intense climax reminiscent of classical drama. 

💡 Read more about Arthur Miller and classical influences in our breakdown of Freytag’s pyramid . 

“Everything is Fine” by Michael Schur ( The Good Place )

“Well, then this system sucks. What...one in a million gets to live in paradise and everyone else is tortured for eternity? Come on! I mean, I wasn't freaking Gandhi, but I was okay. I was a medium person. I should get to spend eternity in a medium place! Like Cincinnati. Everyone who wasn't perfect but wasn't terrible should get to spend eternity in Cincinnati.” 

A screenplay, especially a TV pilot, is like a mini-play, but with the extra job of convincing an audience that they want to watch a hundred more episodes of the show. Blending moral philosophy with comedy, The Good Place is a fun hang-out show set in the afterlife that asks some big questions about what it means to be good. 

It follows Eleanor Shellstrop, an incredibly imperfect woman from Arizona who wakes up in ‘The Good Place’ and realizes that there’s been a cosmic mixup. Determined not to lose her place in paradise, she recruits her “soulmate,” a former ethics professor, to teach her philosophy with the hope that she can learn to be a good person and keep up her charade of being an upstanding citizen. The pilot does a superb job of setting up the stakes, the story, and the characters, while smuggling in deep philosophical ideas.

Personal essays

Our first foray into nonfiction on this list is the personal essay. As its name suggests, these stories are in some way autobiographical — concerned with the author’s life and experiences. But don’t be fooled by the realistic component. These essays can take any shape or form, from comics to diary entries to recipes and anything else you can imagine. Typically zeroing in on a single issue, they allow you to explore your life and prove that the personal can be universal.

Here are a couple of fantastic examples:

“On Selling Your First Novel After 11 Years” by Min Jin Lee (Literary Hub)

There was so much to learn and practice, but I began to see the prose in verse and the verse in prose. Patterns surfaced in poems, stories, and plays. There was music in sentences and paragraphs. I could hear the silences in a sentence. All this schooling was like getting x-ray vision and animal-like hearing. 

This deeply honest personal essay by Pachinko author Min Jin Lee is an account of her eleven-year struggle to publish her first novel . Like all good writing, it is intensely focused on personal emotional details. While grounded in the specifics of the author's personal journey, it embodies an experience that is absolutely universal: that of difficulty and adversity met by eventual success. 

“A Cyclist on the English Landscape” by Roff Smith (New York Times)

These images, though, aren’t meant to be about me. They’re meant to represent a cyclist on the landscape, anybody — you, perhaps. 

Roff Smith’s gorgeous photo essay for the NYT is a testament to the power of creatively combining visuals with text. Here, photographs of Smith atop a bike are far from simply ornamental. They’re integral to the ruminative mood of the essay, as essential as the writing. Though Smith places his work at the crosscurrents of various aesthetic influences (such as the painter Edward Hopper), what stands out the most in this taciturn, thoughtful piece of writing is his use of the second person to address the reader directly. Suddenly, the writer steps out of the body of the essay and makes eye contact with the reader. The reader is now part of the story as a second character, finally entering the picture.

Short Fiction

The short story is the happy medium of fiction writing. These bite-sized narratives can be devoured in a single sitting and still leave you reeling. Sometimes viewed as a stepping stone to novel writing, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Short story writing is an art all its own. The limited length means every word counts and there’s no better way to see that than with these two examples:

“An MFA Story” by Paul Dalla Rosa (Electric Literature)

At Starbucks, I remembered a reading Zhen had given, a reading organized by the program’s faculty. I had not wanted to go but did. In the bar, he read, "I wrote this in a Starbucks in Shanghai. On the bank of the Huangpu." It wasn’t an aside or introduction. It was two lines of the poem. I was in a Starbucks and I wasn’t writing any poems. I wasn’t writing anything. 

This short story is a delightfully metafictional tale about the struggles of being a writer in New York. From paying the bills to facing criticism in a writing workshop and envying more productive writers, Paul Dalla Rosa’s story is a clever satire of the tribulations involved in the writing profession, and all the contradictions embodied by systemic creativity (as famously laid out in Mark McGurl’s The Program Era ). What’s more, this story is an excellent example of something that often happens in creative writing: a writer casting light on the private thoughts or moments of doubt we don’t admit to or openly talk about. 

“Flowering Walrus” by Scott Skinner (Reedsy)

I tell him they’d been there a month at least, and he looks concerned. He has my tongue on a tissue paper and is gripping its sides with his pointer and thumb. My tongue has never spent much time outside of my mouth, and I imagine it as a walrus basking in the rays of the dental light. My walrus is not well. 

A winner of Reedsy’s weekly Prompts writing contest, ‘ Flowering Walrus ’ is a story that balances the trivial and the serious well. In the pauses between its excellent, natural dialogue , the story manages to scatter the fear and sadness of bad medical news, as the protagonist hides his worries from his wife and daughter. Rich in subtext, these silences grow and resonate with the readers.

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Perhaps the thing that first comes to mind when talking about creative writing, novels are a form of fiction that many people know and love but writers sometimes find intimidating. The good news is that novels are nothing but one word put after another, like any other piece of writing, but expanded and put into a flowing narrative. Piece of cake, right?

To get an idea of the format’s breadth of scope, take a look at these two (very different) satirical novels: 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

I wished I was back in the convenience store where I was valued as a working member of staff and things weren’t as complicated as this. Once we donned our uniforms, we were all equals regardless of gender, age, or nationality — all simply store workers. 

Keiko, a thirty-six-year-old convenience store employee, finds comfort and happiness in the strict, uneventful routine of the shop’s daily operations. A funny, satirical, but simultaneously unnerving examination of the social structures we take for granted, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman is deeply original and lingers with the reader long after they’ve put it down.

Erasure by Percival Everett

The hard, gritty truth of the matter is that I hardly ever think about race. Those times when I did think about it a lot I did so because of my guilt for not thinking about it.  

Erasure is a truly accomplished satire of the publishing industry’s tendency to essentialize African American authors and their writing. Everett’s protagonist is a writer whose work doesn’t fit with what publishers expect from him — work that describes the “African American experience” — so he writes a parody novel about life in the ghetto. The publishers go crazy for it and, to the protagonist’s horror, it becomes the next big thing. This sophisticated novel is both ironic and tender, leaving its readers with much food for thought.

Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is pretty broad: it applies to anything that does not claim to be fictional (although the rise of autofiction has definitely blurred the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction). It encompasses everything from personal essays and memoirs to humor writing, and they range in length from blog posts to full-length books. The defining characteristic of this massive genre is that it takes the world or the author’s experience and turns it into a narrative that a reader can follow along with.

Here, we want to focus on novel-length works that dig deep into their respective topics. While very different, these two examples truly show the breadth and depth of possibility of creative nonfiction:

Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

Men’s bodies litter my family history. The pain of the women they left behind pulls them from the beyond, makes them appear as ghosts. In death, they transcend the circumstances of this place that I love and hate all at once and become supernatural. 

Writer Jesmyn Ward recounts the deaths of five men from her rural Mississippi community in as many years. In her award-winning memoir , she delves into the lives of the friends and family she lost and tries to find some sense among the tragedy. Working backwards across five years, she questions why this had to happen over and over again, and slowly unveils the long history of racism and poverty that rules rural Black communities. Moving and emotionally raw, Men We Reaped is an indictment of a cruel system and the story of a woman's grief and rage as she tries to navigate it.

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

He believed that wine could reshape someone’s life. That’s why he preferred buying bottles to splurging on sweaters. Sweaters were things. Bottles of wine, said Morgan, “are ways that my humanity will be changed.” 

In this work of immersive journalism , Bianca Bosker leaves behind her life as a tech journalist to explore the world of wine. Becoming a “cork dork” takes her everywhere from New York’s most refined restaurants to science labs while she learns what it takes to be a sommelier and a true wine obsessive. This funny and entertaining trip through the past and present of wine-making and tasting is sure to leave you better informed and wishing you, too, could leave your life behind for one devoted to wine. 

Illustrated Narratives (Comics, graphic novels)

Once relegated to the “funny pages”, the past forty years of comics history have proven it to be a serious medium. Comics have transformed from the early days of Jack Kirby’s superheroes into a medium where almost every genre is represented. Humorous one-shots in the Sunday papers stand alongside illustrated memoirs, horror, fantasy, and just about anything else you can imagine. This type of visual storytelling lets the writer and artist get creative with perspective, tone, and so much more. For two very different, though equally entertaining, examples, check these out:

Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson

"Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine and valleys of frustration and failure." 

This beloved comic strip follows Calvin, a rambunctious six-year-old boy, and his stuffed tiger/imaginary friend, Hobbes. They get into all kinds of hijinks at school and at home, and muse on the world in the way only a six-year-old and an anthropomorphic tiger can. As laugh-out-loud funny as it is, Calvin & Hobbes ’ popularity persists as much for its whimsy as its use of humor to comment on life, childhood, adulthood, and everything in between. 

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell 

"I shall tell you where we are. We're in the most extreme and utter region of the human mind. A dim, subconscious underworld. A radiant abyss where men meet themselves. Hell, Netley. We're in Hell." 

Comics aren't just the realm of superheroes and one-joke strips, as Alan Moore proves in this serialized graphic novel released between 1989 and 1998. A meticulously researched alternative history of Victorian London’s Ripper killings, this macabre story pulls no punches. Fact and fiction blend into a world where the Royal Family is involved in a dark conspiracy and Freemasons lurk on the sidelines. It’s a surreal mad-cap adventure that’s unsettling in the best way possible. 

Video Games and RPGs

Probably the least expected entry on this list, we thought that video games and RPGs also deserved a mention — and some well-earned recognition for the intricate storytelling that goes into creating them. 

Essentially gamified adventure stories, without attention to plot, characters, and a narrative arc, these games would lose a lot of their charm, so let’s look at two examples where the creative writing really shines through: 

80 Days by inkle studios

"It was a triumph of invention over nature, and will almost certainly disappear into the dust once more in the next fifty years." 

Named Time Magazine ’s game of the year in 2014, this narrative adventure is based on Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. The player is cast as the novel’s narrator, Passpartout, and tasked with circumnavigating the globe in service of their employer, Phileas Fogg. Set in an alternate steampunk Victorian era, the game uses its globe-trotting to comment on the colonialist fantasies inherent in the original novel and its time period. On a storytelling level, the choose-your-own-adventure style means no two players’ journeys will be the same. This innovative approach to a classic novel shows the potential of video games as a storytelling medium, truly making the player part of the story. 

What Remains of Edith Finch by Giant Sparrow

"If we lived forever, maybe we'd have time to understand things. But as it is, I think the best we can do is try to open our eyes, and appreciate how strange and brief all of this is." 

This video game casts the player as 17-year-old Edith Finch. Returning to her family’s home on an island in the Pacific northwest, Edith explores the vast house and tries to figure out why she’s the only one of her family left alive. The story of each family member is revealed as you make your way through the house, slowly unpacking the tragic fate of the Finches. Eerie and immersive, this first-person exploration game uses the medium to tell a series of truly unique tales. 

Fun and breezy on the surface, humor is often recognized as one of the trickiest forms of creative writing. After all, while you can see the artistic value in a piece of prose that you don’t necessarily enjoy, if a joke isn’t funny, you could say that it’s objectively failed.

With that said, it’s far from an impossible task, and many have succeeded in bringing smiles to their readers’ faces through their writing. Here are two examples:

‘How You Hope Your Extended Family Will React When You Explain Your Job to Them’ by Mike Lacher (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency)

“Is it true you don’t have desks?” your grandmother will ask. You will nod again and crack open a can of Country Time Lemonade. “My stars,” she will say, “it must be so wonderful to not have a traditional office and instead share a bistro-esque coworking space.” 

Satire and parody make up a whole subgenre of creative writing, and websites like McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and The Onion consistently hit the mark with their parodies of magazine publishing and news media. This particular example finds humor in the divide between traditional family expectations and contemporary, ‘trendy’ work cultures. Playing on the inherent silliness of today’s tech-forward middle-class jobs, this witty piece imagines a scenario where the writer’s family fully understands what they do — and are enthralled to hear more. “‘Now is it true,’ your uncle will whisper, ‘that you’ve got a potential investment from one of the founders of I Can Haz Cheezburger?’”

‘Not a Foodie’ by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell (Electric Literature)

I’m not a foodie, I never have been, and I know, in my heart, I never will be. 

Highlighting what she sees as an unbearable social obsession with food , in this comic Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell takes a hilarious stand against the importance of food. From the writer’s courageous thesis (“I think there are more exciting things to talk about, and focus on in life, than what’s for dinner”) to the amusing appearance of family members and the narrator’s partner, ‘Not a Foodie’ demonstrates that even a seemingly mundane pet peeve can be approached creatively — and even reveal something profound about life.

We hope this list inspires you with your own writing. If there’s one thing you take away from this post, let it be that there is no limit to what you can write about or how you can write about it. 

In the next part of this guide, we'll drill down into the fascinating world of creative nonfiction.

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Elements of Poetry

What is a Poem?

Before we look at some specific elements of poetry, it’d be helpful to define what a poem is.

What exactly makes a poem different, for example, from a piece of prose? Or song lyrics, even?

The truth is that when we get down to it, poetry isn’t all that easy to pin down. Even poets themselves disagree about what constitutes a poem. What chance, then, do our struggling students have?

Luckily, some broad, general characteristics can be agreed upon. In this article, we will examine these common features of poetry and how we can best instil an understanding of them in our students.

Common Features Of Poetry

●      It looks like a poem – If it looks like a poem and reads like a poem, then the chances are pretty good that it is indeed a poem. Poetry comes in lines, some of which are complete sentences, but many are not. Also, these lines usually don’t run out to the margins consistently, like in, say, a novel. All this gives poetry a distinctive and recognisable look on the page.

●      It often has some underlying form holding things together – While this isn’t always true (in some free verse, for example), a lot of poetry conforms to a prescribed structure, such as in a sonnet, a haiku, etc.

●      It uses imagery – If the poet is worth his or her salt, they’ll endeavour to create images in the reader’s mind using lots of sensory details and figurative language.

●      It has a certain musicality – We could be forgiven for thinking that poetry’s natural incarnation is the written word and its habitat, the page, but the printed word is not where poetry’s origins lie. The earliest poems were composed orally and committed to memory. We can still see the importance the sound of language plays when we read poems out loud. We can see it, too, in the attention paid to musical devices incorporated into the poem. Devices such as alliteration, assonance, and rhyme, for example. We will look at many of these later in this article.

Remember that some forms of writing, such as prose poetry or poetic prose, may blur the lines between poetry and prose. In these cases, the distinction might be less clear, and it’s up to the reader to interpret the work’s genre.

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THE PURPOSE OF POETRY: WHAT IS POETRY FOR?

Of all the forms professional writers can take, the professional poet most often finds themselves struggling to make ends meet financially. Poetry can be challenging to understand and requires much effort from the reader. Students can be forgiven for wondering exactly what the point of this difficult-to-write and difficult-to-read genre is that it is apparently used to torture the less literary-minded during their school years.

It may be a hard sell to some of our more reluctant students, but there is a point behind all this word-smithery.

Poetry’s purpose is essential to help us understand the world around us. It endeavours to show us things anew that we may have previously taken for granted. It offers us new perspectives on the familiar.

Poetry aims to enable us to see the world with fresh eyes again, like a child’s. Doing this helps us understand our world more profoundly.

  THE STRUCTURE OF POETRY

We’ve mentioned already that though poetry’s origins lie in the spoken word, it does take a very recognizable shape when put down on the page. This is mainly due to the overall organization of the lines on the page, often in the form of stanzas.

Though some modern forms of poetry eschew traditional poetic conventions such as rhyme schemes and meter etc., the stanza still plays a vital role in the overall look of printed poetry.

But, just what exactly is a stanza? – your students may well ask.

Stanzas are the poetic equivalent of a prose paragraph. They are a series of lines grouped together and separated from other groups of lines or stanzas by a skipped line.

Stanzas come in various lengths, dependent either on the poet’s whim or the conventions of a particular poetic form. Various technical vocabulary is often used to refer to stanzas of specific lengths. Here are the most common of these,

Stanzas of:

● two lines are called a couplet

● three lines are called a tercet

● four lines are called a quatrain

● five lines are called a cinquain

● six lines are called a sestet, or occasionally a sexain

● seven lines are called a septet

● eight lines are called an octave

Characteristics of Poetry Types

When exploring the elements of poetry, we must appreciate there are many different types of poetry, some of which we will look at below. But, regardless of the specific kind of poetry in question, a poem will most likely fit into one of these three overarching types of poetry: lyric , narrative , and descriptive .

Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry mainly concerns the poet’s emotional life; it’s written in their voice and expresses solid thoughts and emotions. There is only one voice in a lyric poem, and we see the world from that single perspective. Most modern poetry is lyric poetry in that it is personal and introspective.

Lyric Poetry Example: The Cat’s Serenade

Narrative Poetry

As its name implies, narrative poetry is concerned with storytelling. Just as in a prose story, a narrative poem will most likely follow the conventions of the plot, including elements such as conflict, rising action, climax, resolution etc. Again, as in prose stories, narrative poems will most likely be peopled with characters to perform the actions of the tale.

Narrative Poem Example: The Tale of Little Miss Whiskers

Descriptive Poetry

Descriptive poetry usually employs lots of rich imagery to describe the world around the poet. While it most often has a single poetic voice and strong emotional content, descriptive poetry differs from lyric poetry in that its focus is more on the externalities of the world rather than the poet’s interior life.

Descriptive Poetry Example: The Majestic Cat

We have mentioned that poetry often hangs on the conventions of specific underlying structures. Now, look at some of the more common subtypes and their defining characteristics.

SUBTYPES OF POETRY

Sonnets are predominantly concerned with matters of the heart. If you see a sonnet’s recognisably blocky form on a page, there’s a good chance the theme will be love. There are two common forms of sonnets: Shakespearean and Petrarchan. They differ slightly in their internal structure, but both have 14 lines. Let’s take look at some more of the internal characteristics of both forms:

●      Comprises two stanzas

●      The First eight lines pose a question

●      2nd stanza answers the question posed

●      The rhyme scheme is: ABBA, ABBA, CDECDE

Shakespearean

●      Comprises 3 quatrains of 4 lines each

●      Ends with a rhyming couplet, which forms a conclusion

●      The rhyme scheme is: ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG

Haiku is a disciplined form of poetry that originates in 17th-century Japanese poetry. Usually, it is concerned with nature and natural phenomena such as the seasons, weather etc. They are often quite meditative in tone.

However, there are no fundamental rules regarding themes; the only actual demands here relate to structure:

●      They are written in three-line stanzas

●      1st line contains five syllables

●      2nd line contains seven syllables

●      3rd line contains five syllables

Due to their short length and limited requirements, these are usually a lot of fun for students to write. They can serve as an excellent introduction for students to attempt to write poetry according to specific technical requirements of a form.

Elegies are a type of poem that don’t really come with specific structural requirements but still constitute a recognisable form of poetry. What makes an elegy an elegy is its subject, that is, death. Elegies are poems of lamentation – the word elegy itself comes from the Greek word elegeia which means to ‘lament’.

●      A poem of reflection on death or on someone who has died

●      Usually comes in three parts expressing loss:

○      grief

○      praise for the deceased

○      and, finally, consolation.

Favorites of school children everywhere, the most defining characteristic of limericks is their renowned humor. Given their well-deserved reputation for being funny and, on occasion, crude, it’s easy to overlook the fact that beneath the laughs lies quite a tightly structured verse form.

● five lines in total

●Distinct verbal rhythm

● two longer lines of usually between 7 to 10 syllables

● two shorter lines of usually between 5 to 7 syllables

● one closing line containing the ‘punchline.’

●      Rhyme scheme is AABBA

Ballads are a type of narrative poetry closely tied to musical forms. Ballads written as poetry can often easily be adapted as song lyrics. While ballads don’t have tight formal constrictions like some other forms of poetry, there are enough in the way of distinguishable features to identify them as a form.

●      Tells a story, often using simple language

●      Often romantic, adventurous, or humorous

●      Arranged in groups of 4 lines or quatrains

●      Often uses alternating 4 and 3 beat lines

●      Rhyme scheme is usually ABAB or ABCB

Another poetry form that traces its origins to Ancient Greece, odes were initially intended to be sung. Nowadays, though no longer sung, the term ode still refers to a type of lyrical poem that addresses and often praises a specific person, thing, or event.

●      The author addresses a person, thing, or event

●      Usually has a solemn, serious tone

●      Explores universal elements of the theme

●      Powerful emotional element, often involving catharsis

Odes written in the classical vein can follow very strict metrical patterns and rhyme schemes. However, many modern odes are written in free verse involving irregular rhythm and without adherence to a rhyme scheme.

These long narrative poems recount heroic tales, usually focused on a legendary or mythical figure. Think of works of literature on a grand scale, such as The Odyssey , The Cattle Raid of Cooley , or Beowulf .

●      Employs an objective and omniscient narrator

●      Written in an elevated style

●      Recounts heroic events

●      Grand in scale

Poetic Devices (Parts of a Poem)

Though we refer to these devices here as ‘poetic devices, ‘ these parts of a poem are not the exclusive domain of poetry alone. Many of these are to be found in other writing genres, particularly other creative forms such as short stories, novels, and creative nonfiction.

Many of these devices originate in poetry’s roots as a spoken literary form. They rely on the musicality of words, their rhythm and rhyme. They focus on various sound effects that the carefully chosen words can create.

Other devices are more concerned with imagery. They forge connections between various ideas and conjure pictures in the readers’ minds. Together, these devices lift poetry into the realm of art.

The following devices are organized into two sections. The first section, titled Sound Devices, deals with the following devices: alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, rhyme, and rhythm.

The second section, Figurative Language, deals with metaphor, personification , and simile . These are not meant as an exhaustive list but to give an indication of the possibilities for these elements of poetry. You can find many more examples of these in our article on figurative language.

Students will benefit from learning the definitions of each device over time. While it is essential that they learn to recognize their use in the poetry of others and appreciate the effects these devices can create, it is equally important that they get a chance to create their own examples of these devices in their own writing.

It is only by trying their hand at employing these devices in their own work that students can internalize how these devices operate. So, in the section below, we’ll first look at a working definition of the poetic device, then an example to illustrate it in action, before offering simple exercises students can undertake to gain more practice with it themselves.

Sound Devices

Alliteration.

Meaning: This device involves the repetition of the initial consonant sound of a series of words, often consecutively. Alliteration is most easily explained to students by looking at a few simple tongue twisters, such as Peter Piper or She Sells Seashells .

Betty Botter bought a bit of butter

But, the bit of butter Betty Botter bought was bitter

So Betty Botter bought a better bit of butter

Exercise: Challenge the students to write their own tongue twisters using alliteration. You may wish to give them a topic to write on to start. For example, younger students may well enjoy writing about animals. They may even wish to employ the sounds animals make in their tongue twister, e.g. The slithering snake slid sideways through the grass … Once they have written their poem see if they can identify any other elements of poetry within it.

Meaning: Similarly to alliteration, assonance involves the repetition of sounds in a series of words, often consecutive words. However, rather than repeating the initial sounds, assonance focuses on the repeated internal vowel sounds.

Example:   We can find many examples of assonance in poetry and song. Here’s an example from the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe: Hear the mellow wedding bells

“ Muffled monotonous murmur of matrimony “

In this line, the repetition of the “uh” sound in “muffled,” “monotonous,” “murmur,” and “matrimony” creates an assonant effect, which emphasizes the monotonous and dull sound of the wedding bells.

Exercise: Assonance is often referred to as ‘vowel rhyme’. It is prevalent in many forms of popular music, especially rap. Challenge your students to find examples of assonance in the music they listen to and share them with the class. They may also want to try their hand at writing their examples too.

Meaning: Consonance is the consonant-focused counterpart to assonance. It involves the repetition of consonant sounds in the middle or at the end of words, distinguished from alliteration, where the initial sound is repeated.

Example: The crow struck through the thick cloud like a rocket

Exercise: As there are many similarities between the devices of alliteration, assonance, and consonance, it would be a good idea to give the students opportunities to practice distinguishing between them. An excellent exercise to achieve this is to first identify examples of each device from a verse in a poetry anthology before challenging them to create original examples of each on their own. The students can then use the examples they have identified as models to create their own.

Meaning: Meter is like the beat or rhythm in a poem. It’s a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that makes the poem sound musical and smooth. Think of it like the way music has a steady beat that makes you tap your foot.

Example: One common type of meter is called iambic pentameter. In iambic pentameter, each line has five groups of two syllables, and the second syllable in each group is stressed, or has more emphasis. It sounds like “da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM.”

Here’s an example from a famous poem by Shakespeare:

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (Sonnet 18, line 1)

In this line, each group of two syllables has a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one, like “Shall I,” “thee to,” “a sum-,” “mer’s day.” This makes the poem sound nice and rhythmic, almost like a song.

Different types of meter create different rhythms and feelings in poems. Understanding meter can help you appreciate the music and flow of poetry, just like you appreciate the beat in your favorite songs.

Exercise: Introduce high school students to the concept of meter using the “Rhythmic Clap and Snap” method. Display short phrases or lines representing different meters, such as iambic pentameter, trochaic, anapestic, and dactylic. Explain the stressed and unstressed syllables and demonstrate clapping and snapping to the correct rhythm for the first phrase. Divide the class into groups to practice reading their assigned phrases with the right meter. Then, have groups perform their phrases while others identify the meter. Encourage creativity by having students create their own lines in various meters. This interactive exercise provides a lively way for students to understand and experience the rhythmic aspect of poetry.

Onomatopoeia

Meaning: Onomatopoeia refers to creating words that sound like the very thing they refer to. For many students, the first introduction to onomatopoeia goes back to learning animal sounds as an infant. Words such as Oink ! Chirp ! Woof ! and Meow ! can all be thought of as onomatopoeic. Be sure to examine these elements of poetry with your younger students first.

Example: Aside from animal noises, the names of sounds themselves are often onomatopoeic, for example:

Exercise: Encourage students to coin new onomatopoeic words. Instruct them to sit in silence for a few minutes. They should pay close attention to all the sounds they can hear in the environment. When the time is up, have the students quickly jot down all the noises they heard. They should then come up with an onomatopoeic word for each of the different sounds. For example, if they could hear people indistinctly talking in the corridor, they might come up with the word ‘rabbalabba’ to describe the sound they heard. As an extension, they could try using their freshly-minted words in sentences.

Meaning: Rhyme refers to the repetition of sounds in a poem. Various types of rhyme are possible; however, in English, we usually use the term rhyme to refer to the repetition of the final sounds in a line or end rhyme. Letters are often used to denote a rhyme scheme. A new letter is ascribed to each of the different sounds. For example, in the following example, the rhyme scheme is described as ABAB.

  The people along the sand

All turn and look one way.

They turn their back on the land.

They look at the sea all day.

[From Neither Out Far Nor In Deep by Robert Frost]

Exercise: Even though a lot of modern poetry no longer follows a strict rhyme scheme, it is still helpful for students to recognize various rhyming patterns in poetry. A good way for them to gain more experience with rhyme schemes is to give them copies of several different poems and ask them to describe the rhyme scheme using letters, e.g. ABAB, ABABCC etc. Once they have completed this task, they can be challenged to write a stanza or two of poetry employing each identified rhyme scheme.

Meaning: Rhythm in poetry involves sound patterning. A lot of classical poetry conforms to a systematic regularity of rhythm, referred to as the poem’s meter. This involves combining stressed and unstressed syllables to create a constant beat pattern that runs throughout the poem. Each pattern of beats is called a foot. There are various possible combinations of stressed and unstressed syllables, or feet, and these patterns have their own names to describe them. While exploring all of these in this article is impossible, we look at one of the more common ones below.

  Shall I com pare thee to a sum mer’s day

[Iambic pentameter, i.e. five metrical feet of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables]

Exercise: A valuable way of tuning in students to meter is to have them mark the stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. The iambic pentameter is a good place to start. This pattern is found in many of Shakespeare’s plays. It is also frequently used in love sonnets, where its rhythm reflects the beating of the human heart and reinforces the idea that love comes ‘from the heart’. Once students have become adept at recognizing various meters and rhythms, they should have a go at writing in them too.

Figurative / Connotative Language in Poetry

Meaning: Metaphors make comparisons between things by stating that one thing literally is something else. Metaphors are used to bring clarity to ideas by forming connections. Often, metaphors reveal implicit similarities between two things or concepts.

Example: We can find lots of examples of metaphors in our everyday speech, for example:

She’s an old flame

Time is money

Life is a rollercoaster

Exercise: When students can comfortably identify metaphors in the poems of others, they should try their hands at creating their own metaphors. A good start is challenging them to convert some similes into metaphors. Not only does this give students valuable practice in creating metaphors, but it also helps reinforce their understanding of the differences between metaphors and similes while giving them a scaffold to support their first attempts at producing metaphors themselves.

Meaning: Unlike metaphors that make comparisons by saying one thing is something else, similes work by saying something is similar to something else. They commonly come in two forms. Those that compare using ‘as’ and those that make a comparison using ‘like’.

  She is as strong as an ox

She sings like a nightingale

Exercise: As with the exercise for metaphors, it’d be helpful to practice for students to convert metaphors they identify in poetry into similes, reinforcing their understanding of both.

Personification

Meaning: Personification is a particular type of metaphor where a non-human thing or idea is ascribed to human qualities or abilities. This can be in the form of a single phrase or line or extended in the form of a stanza or the whole poem.

  The moon was shining sulkily,

Because she thought the sun

Had got no business to be there

After the day was done –

“It’s very rude of him,” she said,

“To come and spoil the fun.”

[From the Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll]

Exercise: To help students practice distinguishing between metaphors, similes, and personification, gather a list of jumbled-up examples of each from various poems. Students can then sort these accordingly. When they have completed this, task them to devise an original example of each.

The elements of poetry are many, and while the elements explored above represent the most important of these, it is not an exhaustive list of every element. It takes lots of exposure for students to become comfortable recognizing each and confident in employing these elements in their writing.

Take every opportunity to reinforce student understanding of these elements. Poetic elements are often employed in genres outside of poetry, such as in stories, advertising, and song – waste no opportunity!

TIPS FOR TEACHING THE ELEMENTS OF POETRY

• Start with Relatable Examples: Begin your poetry lessons with poems that resonate with your students or showcase themes they can relate to. Using familiar topics or contemporary poets can pique their interest and make poetry more accessible.
• Engage the Senses: Encourage students to analyze the sensory elements in poems, such as imagery and figurative language. Ask them to visualize, hear, taste, and feel the emotions portrayed in the verses, fostering a deeper connection to the poem’s meaning.
• Interactive Activities: Incorporate hands-on activities to make learning poetry engaging. Organize group discussions, poetry recitation contests, or creative writing workshops to encourage students to express themselves and gain confidence in their own poetic abilities.
• Explore Diverse Voices: Expose your students to various poets from different cultures, backgrounds, and periods. This not only promotes cultural appreciation but also enriches their understanding of diverse perspectives and poetic styles.
• Cross-Curricular Connections: Demonstrate how poetry connects to other subjects, like history, science, or art. Exploring historical poems or scientific poetry can foster interdisciplinary learning and show students the versatility of poetry as a means of expression.

By implementing these tips, you can create a vibrant and inclusive learning environment, fostering a genuine appreciation for the important elements of poetry among your students.

DOWNLOAD THIS FREE 30 DAY POETRY WRITING ACTIVITY MATRIX

Your students will love this 30-day Poetry Matrix to challenge their understanding of and ability to write great poetry. It works beautifully for DISTANCE LEARNING due to its instructional hyperlinks and simple guides for students to follow. Add it to GOOGLE CLASSROOM or SeeSaw to keep your students engaged in the task.

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Understanding Different Types of Poetry: A Journey from Past to Present

Poetry is a special way of using language to express emotions, tell stories, and share ideas. It has changed a lot over the years, from traditional forms to modern styles.

Let’s explore these changes and see how poetry can help you learn English better.

Exploring classic poetry: Roots, forms, and famous poets

Classic poetry includes many different types of poetry that have been popular for hundreds of years. Some of the most famous are narrative poems, epic poems, and sonnets.

• Narrative poems tell a story, often with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They can be short or long, but they always focus on a particular event or series of events.
• Epic poems are a type of narrative poetry that tell long, grand stories about heroic deeds and adventures. These poems are often written in a formal style and cover important events. An example of an epic poem is Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
• Sonnets are a shorter form of poetry that typically have 14 lines. There are different types of sonnets, but they often explore themes like love and nature.

William Shakespeare is known for his Shakespearean sonnets, which have a specific structure. Another popular form of poetry is the Petrarchan sonnet, which splits the 14 lines into two parts: The first eight lines (octave) and the last six lines (sestet).

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.”

John Keats and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are other well-known classic British poets from this period. They used rich figurative language and different poetic forms to create their works.

Language and style in classic poetry

Classic poetry is known for its formal language and structured forms. Poets used figurative language like metaphors and similes to create vivid images and deep emotions.

The structure of classic poetry is also crucial. Sonnets, for example, have a fixed number of lines and specific rhyme schemes, giving them a musical quality. Carefully used line breaks help to create rhythm and highlight key ideas.

In narrative and epic poems, the style is complicated and formal, fitting their grand themes. The final lines are often powerful, leaving a lasting impression.

“Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy.”

The rise of modern poetry

In the early 20th century, poetry started to change. Modern poets like Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and Wallace Stevens experimented with new styles. They moved away from strict forms and used free verse (poetry without regular rhyme or rhythm) and blank verse (poetry with a regular beat but no rhyme).

These new forms of poetry allowed for more freedom and creativity. Poets could write about everyday life and feelings.

This shift opened up poetry to new themes and voices, making it more accessible and relevant to modern readers.

Modern poetry and its many forms

Modern poetry includes a variety of forms beyond free verse and blank verse.

Prose poems blend the features of prose (regular sentences and paragraphs) and poetry, creating a poetic effect without line breaks. Acrostic poems use the first letters of each line to spell out a word or message. These different forms allow poets to express their thoughts in various ways.

The evolution of poetry has also led to the rise of lyric poems, which focus on personal feelings and emotions. Modern poets have continued to experiment with language and structure, reflecting the complexities of contemporary life.

Many modern poets favour a simpler, more direct style. Robert Frost is a good example of a poet who wrote in such a style. In the final stanza of his famous poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, he writes:

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”

Rap and poetry: understanding the connection

Modern poetry has also influenced music, especially rap. Hip hop artists like Kanye West use poetic devices and narrative poetry in their songs. A rap song often tells a story, similar to a narrative poem or spoken word. This storytelling aspect allows rappers to convey complex emotions and social commentary, much like traditional poets.

This connection shows how poetry is a dynamic art form that evolves with time and culture.

Language and style in rap

Rap lyrics reflect the realities of life, expressing themes from personal struggles to social issues. The language used in rap is direct and powerful, often employing slang and cultural references to resonate with the audience.

Rappers use metaphors and similes to draw vivid comparisons, making their messages more impactful. The rhythm and line breaks in rap are crucial for maintaining the flow and energy of the song, similar to the way traditional poets use metre and rhyme.

“It’s been a while since I last dreamt, Barely remember what it’s like to dream, Finding it hard to get to sleep, too stressed, And there ain’t anyone to sing a lullaby to me. Pretend it doesn’t get to me, And I suffer in silence when I’m hurting, A man’s problems are his own and it’s my burden, Tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep, But I find it hard to switch off when my mind’s working.”

Poetry and learning English

Studying poetry can be quite grand, Helping you grasp the English at hand. Rich vocabulary, sentence structures too, Cultural references, all coming through.

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14 Types of Creative Writing

by Melissa Donovan | Apr 6, 2021 | Creative Writing | 20 comments

Which types of creative writing have you tried?

When we talk about creative writing, fiction and poetry often take the spotlight, but there are many other types of creative writing that we can explore.

Most writers develop a preference for one form (and genre) above all others. This can be a good thing, because you can specialize in your form and genre and become quite proficient. However, occasionally working with other types of writing is beneficial. It prevents your work from becoming stale and overladen with form- or genre-specific clichés, and it’s a good way to acquire a variety of techniques that are uncommon in your preferred form and genre but that can be used to enhance it.

Let’s look at some different types of creative writing. As you read through the list, note the types of writing you’ve experimented with and the types you’d like to try.

Types of Creative Writing

Free writing: Open a notebook or an electronic document and just start writing. Allow strange words and images to find their way to the page. Anything goes! Also called stream-of-consciousness writing, free writing is the pinnacle of creative writing.

Journals: A journal is any written log. You could keep a gratitude journal, a memory journal, a dream journal, or a goals journal. Many writers keep idea journals or all-purpose omni-journals that can be used for everything from daily free writes to brainstorming and project planning.

Diaries: A diary is a type of journal in which you write about your daily life. Some diaries are written in letter format (“Dear Diary…”). If you ever want to write a memoir, then it’s a good idea to start keeping a diary.

Letters: Because the ability to communicate effectively is increasingly valuable, letter writing is a useful skill. There is a long tradition of publishing letters, so take extra care with those emails you’re shooting off to friends, family, and business associates. Hot tip: one way to get published if you don’t have a lot of clips and credits is to write letters to the editor of a news publication.

Memoir: A genre of creative nonfiction , memoirs are books that contain personal accounts (or stories) that focus on specific experiences. For example, one might write a travel memoir.

Essays. Essays are often associated with academic writing, but there are many types of essays, including personal essays, descriptive essays, and persuasive essays, all of which can be quite creative (and not especially academic).

Journalism: Some forms of journalism are more creative than others. Traditionally, journalism was objective reporting on facts, people, and events. Today, journalists often infuse their writing with opinion and storytelling to make their pieces more compelling or convincing.

Poetry: Poetry is a popular but under-appreciated type of writing, and it’s easily the most artistic form of writing. You can write form poetry, free-form poetry, and prose poetry.

Song Lyrics: Song lyrics combine the craft of writing with the artistry of music. Composing lyrics is similar to writing poetry, and this is an ideal type of writing for anyone who can play a musical instrument.

Scripts: Hit the screen or the stage by writing scripts for film, television, theater, or video games. Beware: film is a director’s medium, not a writer’s medium, but movies have the potential to reach a non-reading audience.

Storytelling: Storytelling is the most popular form of creative writing and is found in the realms of both fiction and nonfiction writing. Popular forms of fiction include flash fiction, short stories, novellas, and full-length novels; and there are tons of genres to choose from. True stories, which are usually firsthand or secondhand accounts of real people and events, can be found in essays, diaries, memoirs, speeches, and more. Storytelling is a tremendously valuable skill, as it can be found in all other forms of writing, from poetry to speech writing.

Speeches: Whether persuasive, inspirational, or informative, speech writing can lead to interesting career opportunities in almost any field or industry. Also, speech-writing skills will come in handy if you’re ever asked to write and deliver a speech at an important event, such as a graduation, wedding, or award ceremony.

Vignettes: A  vignette is defined as “a brief evocative description, account, or episode.” Vignettes can be poems, stories, descriptions, personal accounts…anything goes really. The key is that a vignette is extremely short — just a quick snippet.

Honorable Mention: Blogs. A blog is not a type of writing; it’s a publishing platform — a piece of technology that displays web-based content on an electronic device. A blog can be used to publish any type of writing. Most blogs feature articles and essays, but you can also find blogs that contain diaries or journals, poetry, fiction, journalism, and more.

Which of these types of creative writing have you tried? Are there any forms of writing on this list that you’d like to experiment with? Can you think of any other types of creative writing to add to this list? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing.

20 Comments

What is “flash” writing or stories.

Flash fiction refers to super short stories, a few hundred words or fewer.

its very helpful especially to those students like me who wasn’t capable or good in doing a creative writing

I’m glad you found this post helpful, Elena.

I also found this to be very helpful, especially because I don’t do very well at writing.

Thanks for letting me know you found this helpful. Like anything else, writing improves with practice.

Thank you Melissa. It’s very helpful!

You’re welcome!

Over all good list. Yes blogs can be publishing platforms but only if something is written first. I read what you wrote on a blog.

Thanks a lot Good job

Are these types of creaitve writing the same or different if I need to teach children’s creative writing? Can you recommend a website to teach these?

Hi Marie. Thanks for your question. I’ve come across many websites for teaching children’s creative writing. I recommend a search on Google, which will lead you to a ton of resources.

these are very helpful when it comes to getting in college or essays or just to improve my writing

Thanks, Donte. I’m glad you found this helpful.

Free writing really helps me get going. For some reason my prose are much better when I am not beholden to an overall plot or narrative with specific defined characters. I like to free writer “excerpts” on theprose.com. It allows me to practice writing and receive feedback at the same time. I am also trying to blog about writing my first novel, both for writing practice and to keep myself accountable. It really helps!

I feel the same way. Free writing is always a fun and creative experience for me.

Was trying to give an inservice on writing skills and the different types of writing.

Your wok here really helped. Thanks.

You’re welcome.

Hi, Melissa can you assist me ? I’m trying to improve my writing skills as quickly as possible. Plz send me some more tips and trick to improve my writing and communication skills.

You are welcome to peruse this website, which is packed with tips for improving your writing. I’d recommend focusing on the categories Better Writing and Writing Tips for writing improvement. You can also subscribe to get new articles send directly to your email. Thanks!

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Creative writing at a critical age: Using poetry to stimulate creativity and embrace writing skills in teenage classes

By Keely Laufer

A class creative writing project using authentic materials can be created to challenge, train and develop general writing skills and teach a variety of sub-skills to higher level teenagers, such as creative and critical thinking and editing skills. Creativity involves imaginative, innovative and abstract thinking, and critical thinking involves logic and reasoning, questioning, analysis, assessment and evaluation. When carried out as a long-term class poetry project, these skills combined can help teenagers to express their opinions, attitudes, emotions and sense of self in L2 sooner.

Coursebooks for teenagers do not always provide much opportunity for integrating creative and critical thinking and writing skills into language learning to help students achieve higher levels of self-expression, not only needed for FCE and beyond, but to motivate teenagers by making language learning an enjoyable experience. As Michael Lewis asserts, ‘Syllabuses are directed towards language teaching, but ultimately it is not languages which are being taught, but people. People want and need to express emotion and attitude’ (see note 1). My aim was to help my BKC ‘English in Mind 4’ students, aged between 13-15, develop their creative and critical thinking and writing skills, while raising general student motivation and enthusiasm levels by making the writing process fun, in the context of working towards the FCE course.

Why conduct a long-term poetry project with teenagers?

Teenagers are at a critical stage in their development where they are generally emotional and creative in their thinking and self-expression, yet are also developing the ability to think critically using logic and reason. Therefore, teenagers respond well to activities that have a fundamental expressive, yet critical purpose. As Gordon Lewis confirms, ‘When an activity is designed so that it addresses both types of thinking [creative and critical], students strengthen valuable academic skills and stimulate their curiosity.’ (see note 2). When well-exercised over a period of time, creative and critical writing activities centred around poetry can help to promote the mature development of writing skills, even for students who are not initially as interested in poetry, providing that poems are tailored to be thematically relevant to students’ interests.

Why poetry?

Poetry as an art form exploits language and form in its entirety: everything in a poem has meaning. The beauty of poetry analysis is that interpretations and creative ideas cannot be incorrect, providing that they are shaped from logical consideration of the text and are backed up by textual evidence. This gives students the freedom of exploration, autonomy and confidence in their writing. Poems are also usually shorter than prose and can therefore be revisited many times for the discovery of new layers of meaning.

Procedure for analysing a poem and writing a critical essay:

• Build interest in the central image or theme of the poem with pictures (e.g. a toad). OR In pairs, answer general boarded questions related to the central image or theme (not necessarily directly related to the poem).
• Present the poem on paper with a glossary.
• Teacher reads the poem while students underline any other words that they do not understand. Some students may prefer to take a flipped-classroom approach by taking the poem home to look up any unknown vocabulary. A recording of the poet reading the poem could also be played if available.
• Clarify any difficult vocabulary.
• Brainstorm ideas individually: what could the poem be about?
• Pair-check ideas.
• Students add ideas to the boarded class mind map.
• Class discussion of the poem by ‘chunk analysis’ (stanza by stanza), in relation to the set questions pre-folded back behind the poem (see note 3). These questions are answered to form the critical essay. Teacher boards students’ ideas during the discussion.
• Students write their essay in class or at home, depending on the plan. Some students prefer to take their time writing at home and others prefer to work in class under a time constraint.
• Illustrate and present individual or group posters based on the whole or on a part of the poem. Students or groups receive the poem cut-up into sense-logical chunks and can choose a chunk to focus their illustration on. These illustrations can then be used to further develop speaking skills when presenting their own or each other’s posters.

How students approached writing their own poems:

The students’ first poem was about their most meaningful possession, as a result of not wanting to do an unmotivating writing task in the coursebook. For the second poem, students chose a mutual object of desire and all wrote a poem about the same object. In the following lesson, their challenge was to merge these poems into one collective class poem. Students collaborated to think of a first and last line to add to each other’s poems. I supported as a mediator and helped where needed. This process taught students to appreciate, take into consideration and learn from each other’s work, which also helped develop their speaking, listening, negotiation and general social skills.

Error Correction and Feedback Process

When marking the essays, I prioritised corrections to major grammar, syntax and spelling errors, which made applying corrections achievable between essays. I wrote each student’s top three strengths and corrections at the bottom of their essays and encouraged them to use the list from the previous essay when writing the new essay. When giving class feedback after handing back an essay and before writing a new essay in class, I elicited and boarded the top three collective strengths and weaknesses, as a reminder while students wrote. Then, they proofread their essays against their personal and collective lists. Students can also read each other’s work and give feedback on specific positive achievements and areas for improvement, in relation to content, communicative achievement, organisation and language.

Arsenii was the youngest student in the class, yet his speaking fluency and general writing improved the most dramatically. At the beginning of the project he struggled to write a few sentences about the poems, and by the end, he started coming up with his own complex ideas that he pushed himself to develop, backed up by textual evidence. This creative project gave Arsenii the opportunity to realise his creative potential and trained him to be able to organise and express his ideas in detail.

Earlier in the project:

Middle of the project:

1) What is this poem about?

2) Is this poem really about penguins, or are they a metaphor and why?

3) How does this poem make the reader feel?

Later in the project:

Key improvements from each student (Names have been changed):

Boris - learnt to form his own opinions about a text and express them in his writing with increased detail. Dasha - learnt to organise her ideas clearly, and explore and expand upon them more creatively and in greater depth (see note 4). Lara - learnt to develop her own opinions about a text in greater detail and express spoken and written opinions with more ease and fluency, using sophisticated grammar structures and vocabulary. Lilia - learnt to organise her stream of free-flowing ideas in a structured way.

Samples of portfolio illustrations based on ‘Toad’:

(own image – shared with permission of the author)

By the end of this poetry project, my aim for students to develop creative and critical thinking and editing skills were met. This was demonstrated through the students’ ability to analyse poetry through the application of imaginative, innovative and abstract thinking, yet using logical thinking and reasoning, assessment and evaluation in their essays, class discussions and illustrations of poetry. Not only did creative and critical thinking skills help students to improve their general writing and editing skills, but their speaking, listening, negotiation and general social skills in class. Students were able to express their emotions, opinions and attitudes with increased written and spoken fluency through this poetry project, as knowing that their interpretations and creative ideas could not be incorrect if backed-up by textual evidence, gave students the confidence and freedom to explore themselves through L2.

My other equally fundamental aim to raise general student motivation and enthusiasm levels by making the writing process fun, in the context of preparing for the FCE course, was also met. Not only is the success of this project measurable by the students’ significantly improved writing skills, but also by the students’ level of engagement with the project, their collective pride and initiative shown, which was even greater than expected. Students asked for a new poem to analyse and write about at home after class tests, when given the option of no homework, and some students also illustrated poems to decorate our class portfolio, without being asked.

A long-term class poetry project can be used to improve targeted skills to meet individual and group needs, spice up a coursebook and course content, build a creative classroom climate that can strengthen overall rapport and foster a sense of community spirit. This poetry project proves Lewis’s statement that ‘Literature is a rich source of opinion, attitude and emotion, and literary texts can be exploited in different ways to encourage learners to express their own opinions, attitudes and emotions (p. 163).

Appendix 1:

• What is the theme? Happiness?
• What is the mood of the poem? What words or phrases create this mood?
• Who is the poem about and what is the relationship between the subject and the speaker (poetic voice)?
• Think about the way the poem looks on the page: the shape, where the lines end, line length, etc. How does this influence the meaning?
• Notice the repetitive ‘i’ sound. How does this make you feel as a reader? In what ways can these sound patterns contribute to the meaning?
• Is there any kind of rhyme in this poem, even if not obvious? Think about sound patterns aside from the ‘i’ sound in question 5.

Appendix 2 - Dasha's essay:

Appendix 3:

Extra activities:.

1. Create different types of exercises from each poem:

• Use fewer poems to see how many exercises can be created from each poem.
• A cut-up version of the poem could be given out before being shown in its original form, for students to reorder in groups according to what they think the logical progression should be. Then, in different groups discuss their reasoning and how the meaning of the poem might be different between groups, depending on how it has been reordered. Individuals or groups could take a photograph of their version of the poem and revisit it once they are familiar with the original form, for the purpose of comparing and contrasting any similarities, differences or changes in meaning.
• Assigning different parts of the poem to different individuals or groups to read aloud or write about.
• Writing their own poem in response to the whole poem, or to an area of interest within the poem.
• Creating a performance of the poem (possibly with costumes and props).
• Rewriting exercises (changing or adding to a poem): how would they rewrite the poem to express the same message? Would they use the same language (further explore or play with pre-existing language, i.e. wordplay), form (shape, line length, enjambment, stanza order, meter, rhyme), sound patterns, imagery, tone, genre, context, point of view (poetic voice or another subject’s)? What would they ‘keep, change, add, remove’? Why? OR Rewrite the poem using the same key images to express a personal or social problem that affects teenagers today, by exploring the same poetic techniques in a different way or using different poetic techniques.
• Language awareness prediction exercises: remove words and encourage students to consider the overall message by using surrounding language and tone, in order to work out the words or choose their own words to fill in the gaps. This task would be useful practice for FCE Use of English.

2. Focus on editing skills:

• Read and make suggestions about each other’s work using purposeful guidelines set by the teacher.
• As the project progresses, introduce word counts to encourage shorter and more concise essays, as part of exam preparation technique training, for the purpose of focusing in more depth on a key idea and considering language quality.
• Create exercises using students’ essays: detailed expansion of a word count or to work on paraphrasing skills and reducing a word count.

3. Explore what is not in the poem:  what it might mean if there is no clear set meter or rhyme, instead of it being another element less to consider, or dismissing the poem for being of a contemporary genre.

4. Read and engage with reviews of the poem or poetry collection in which the poem appears:  after students have explored their own ideas through the essay writing process, they could read a review for the purpose of being exposed to other interpretations of the same poem and to write an engaged response. There could be an example of a positive and negative review, to which students can write an opinion piece to support or argue against the reviewer’s opinion. This is also extra exposure to other authentic materials of different writing styles in relation to the class poem.

5. Focus on grammar and collocations: teaching grammar in a creative context or teaching grammar creatively, such as by using the poem to teach or revise a grammar topic from the coursebook.

1 Michael, Lewis, ‘Classroom Reports: Using Poems and Songs in a Lexical Framework’, in Implementing the Lexical Approach: Putting Theory into Practice (Hove: Language Teaching Publications, 1997), p. 163.

2 Gordon, Lewis, ‘Chapter 2: Creative and Critical Thinking Tasks’, in Resource books for teachers: Teenagers, ed. by Alan Maley (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), p.43.

3 See ‘Appendix 1’ for the questions written for Jack Underwood’s poem ‘Toad’.

4 See ‘Appendix 2’ for Dasha’s essay answering the questions in response to ‘Appendix 1’.

Author's bio: Keely Laufer finished her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University in West Wales, followed by an MA in Creative Writing: Poetry, at the University of East Anglia in England. She then completed her Cambridge CELTA at International House London, followed by specialisation training at International House Moscow: 'IH Certificate in Teaching Very Young Learners, 2-7yrs', 'IH Certificate in Teaching Young Learners and Teenagers (IHCYLT)' and the 'IH Certificate in Developing literacy skills with primary and pre-primary learners'. She is particularly interested in stimulating a creative classroom climate through storytelling and craft projects for VYL, literacy projects for YL, and through running poetry courses to develop critical and creative writing skills in higher level teenagers. 

The Ultimate Guide to 12 Different Forms of Creative Writing

When you hear the word “creative writing”, you might think of writing novels, telling stories, or something like that. But it turns out there are lots of different forms of creative writing.

Speaking of which, this exciting blog post will shed light on different forms of creative writing put to paper by the expert paper writing service provider . So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Different Forms of Creative Writing

Short story.

Structure:  Short stories often involve just one storyline and a relatively small number of characters, typically following one narrative arc.

Length:  Usually, these stories can be told in a few hundred to a few thousand words, so you can get the point across quickly.

Elements:  This story has all the key bits and pieces, like plot, setting, characters, conflict, and resolution, that make it what it is. Being so short, every word matters in getting the story across properly.

Forms:  Poetry comes in many different shapes and lengths. You’ve got your sonnets, haikus, limericks, free verse, and plenty more. Each one has its own rules (or lack thereof) when it comes to how it’s structured and rhymed.

Imagery:  Uses lots of bright pictures, metaphors, beats, and noises to stir up feelings and express complicated ideas in a few words.

Emotion and Language:  Frequently looks at how we feel, what we go through, what we notice, or problems in our society by using words with strong feelings and special literary techniques.

Scope:  It offers lots of opportunities for telling stories, with lots of different story arcs, loads of characters with complex personalities, and detailed worlds.

Length:  Novels are generally more lengthy than short stories, and they can have anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 words.

Genres:  Covers a wide range of genres, from romance and fantasy to mysteries, sci-fi, historical fiction, and beyond.

Flash Fiction

Conciseness:  It takes an expert storyteller to effectively tell a story or evoke emotions within a very short number of words, usually 1000 or less.

Punchy Impact:  Short stories usually try to have a powerful or unexpected conclusion because they’re so brief, using storytelling that packs a punch in just a few words.

Playwriting

Dialogues and Actions:  Emphasizes conversations, what the actors do, and how they act, to make the characters seem real in a theatre production.

Scenes and Acts:  Using scenes and acts to divide up the play, taking into account the performance dynamics and how the audience is reacting.

Screenwriting

Visual Storytelling:  Formatting for visuals such as movies or TV shows, putting together scene descriptions, dialogues, and actions to make an interesting story.

Technical Elements:  Needs an understanding of how to write a screenplay and how to time it for telling a story on the screen.

Creative Nonfiction

Factual yet Creative:  Mixing real-life stories or events with literary elements to create exciting stories.

Personal Reflection:  Often includes the author’s own musings, feelings, and emotions, making it more personal and easier for readers to relate to.

Personal Expression:  It’s a way to think about yourself, express yourself, and explore your feelings and ideas.

Varied Forms:  You can express yourself in so many different ways – from telling stories to being creative – to capture your experiences and thoughts.

Experimental Writing

Innovation:  Trying out different formats, structures, vocab, or ways of telling a story instead of sticking to the standard.

Pushing Boundaries:  They like to think outside the box when it comes to getting people’s attention and coming up with innovative ways to express their thoughts.

Epistolary Writing

Unique Perspective:  Share an account of events and characters by using documents, letters, emails, or journal entries. It’s a great way to get a personal and in-depth look.

Character Development:  This allows for the creation of more detailed and complex characters through their letters and conversations.

Songwriting

Lyrics and Melodies:  Uses stories and music to make us feel something and get the message across through songs.

Versatility:  This opens up different kinds of singing, from telling stories in a song to expressing yourself with poetic lyrics set to music.

Graphic Novels/Comics

Visual Narrative:  They combine art and story to make something interesting, using pictures and speech bubbles to tell their tale.

Panel Sequencing:  Uses panels and visuals to show a story, display character feelings, and present action.

Examples of Each Forms of Creative Writing

Creative writing examples are often the best way to master this art. Here you go with some examples.

Example of Short Story

“The sun set as the old man reminisced, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. An elderly figure sat on a familiar park bench, memories like wisps of smoke playing in his eyes. A young girl’s laughter broke the silence, and the old man found himself entranced by their conversation. He shared stories of his younger days, of loves won and lost, and adventures taken. As the sky darkened, his mind was filled with nostalgia.”

Example of Poetry (Haiku)

“Beneath cherry trees,

Petals whispering their tales,

Nature’s fleeting grace.”

Example of Novel

“In the mystical world of Eldoria, where magic filled the atmosphere and mythical creatures were around every corner, Elara, a young magician, discovered an old prophecy written in a long-forgotten book. This prophecy stated that darkness was coming to their world, threatening to take it over. With her trusty sidekicks—a humorous thief and a reliable warrior—Elara set off on a dangerous journey to uncover secrets hidden in the past and protect her realm from impending destruction.”

Example of Flash Fiction

“The door creaked open, showing a room that was barely lit. The walls had old and worn-out tapestries hanging on them. There was a candle that was flickering on an old table, casting some creepy-looking shadows. Next to it was a note with some mysterious directions. It said, “Find me in the labyrinth of time”. That’s how the journey of the searcher began, searching for a way through the winding hallways and the forgotten memories of the past.”

Example of Playwriting

[Opening scene stage directions]

Location:  A bustling city street.

Characters:  LENA, a young artist absorbed in sketching; JACK, a hurried businessman.

Action:  Lena, perched on a bench, meticulously sketches the towering skyline. Jack, lost in thought and rushing past, collides with her, scattering her art supplies.

Example of Screenwriting

[Scene from a screenplay]

INT. COFFEE SHOP – DAY

Character: JESSICA (mid-20s), nervously sips her coffee.

JESSICA: “I never thought I’d see you again.”

MARK (across the table): “Fate has a way of surprising us.”

Example of Creative Nonfiction (Personal Essay Excerpt)

“The Himalayas took my breath away with their stunning snow-capped peaks, a reminder of how tough nature can be. I enjoyed the peaceful valleys and the crisp mountain air, and I also found something else – a chance to get to know myself better, all while taking in the beauty of the mountains.”

Example of Journaling (Reflective Entry )

“The rain was constantly tapping on my window today, like a slow, calming beat. Even though there was a lot of chaos going on outside, each raindrop seemed to take away some of my stress, leaving me feeling relaxed and peaceful.”

Example of Experimental Writing (Fragmented Narrative)

“She stepped into the hallway, a maze of memories, where time was all over the place. Every doorway reminded her of something from her past, a story that wasn’t finished. She could hear laughter, crying, and whispers that had been forgotten all around, telling a story that didn’t seem to have any kind of order.”

Example of Epistolary Writing (Excerpt from a letter)

“Hey buddy, I can’t put into words what I’m feeling, so I wrote it down instead. Read between the lines and you’ll get a better understanding of how strongly I feel about our bond.”

Example of Songwriting (Verse from a song)

“Underneath the starry night,

Dreams take flight, shining bright,

Guided by the moon’s soft light,

We’ll find our way through the night.”

Example of Graphic Novels/Comics (Comic Panel Sequence)

Panel 1:  A shadowy figure emerges from the mist, cloak billowing in the wind.

Panel 2:  The figure’s piercing eyes glow with an otherworldly power, illuminating the darkness.

Panel 3:  A sudden burst of blinding light engulfs the scene, revealing a mysterious symbol etched in the air.

Creative writing is more than storytelling and poetry. In fact, it includes songwriting, screenwriting, and more. This interesting blog post discusses 12 types of creative writing with examples for your understanding. Hopefully you have now a good knowledge of the 12 different forms of creative writing.

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Poetry Center

Distinguished Visitors in Creative Writing Reading: Brenda Lozano

The Distinguished Visitors in Creative Writing Series, curated by faculty of the Creative Writing Program at the U of A, presents a reading by  Brenda Lozano . This event is presented with support from the Borchard Center on Literary Arts . 

Brenda Lozano is a narrator, essayist, and editor. She studied literature in Mexico and the United States. She has had writing residencies in the United States, Europe, South America, Japan, has been anthologized on several occasions, has taught university courses and workshops, and has been involved in contemporary art and film projects. She edited the literary magazine  Make of Chicago  and co-organized the art and literature festival Lit&Luz, based in Chicago and Mexico City, from 2013 to 2019. She is also co-founder of Señal, from Ugly Duckling Presse, a chapbook series dedicated to the translation of Latin American poetry into English. Her first novel is  Todo Nada  (Tusquets, 2009), followed by  Cuaderno ideal  (Alfaguara, 2014), the storybook  Cómo piensan las piedras  (Alfaguara, 2017) and  Brujas  (Alfaguara, 2020). Her work has been translated into several languages. She was recognized by Conaculta, Hay Festival and the British Council as one of the most important writers under 40 in her country, and is part of Bogotá 39, the most prominent new authors in Latin America. She is part of the board of the Premio Internacional Aura Estrada for writers under 35 years of age and is part of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte. Her novel  Soñar como sueñan los árboles  will soon be published in Alfaguara. She writes a column in the newspaper El País and lives in Mexico City.

All Reading & Lecture series events will be  streamed live on our website  in addition to the in-person reading. 

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The Paris Olympics

Smithsonian's Guide to the Games

History | August 6, 2024

Poetry Was an Official Olympic Event for Nearly 40 Years. What Happened?

Pierre de Coubertin hoped the modern Games would encourage the ancient Greek notion of harmony between “muscle and mind”

Ellen Wexler

Assistant Editor, Humanities

At the ancient Olympics in Greece, athletes weren’t the only stars of the show. The spectacle also attracted poets, who recited their works for eager audiences. Competitors commissioned bigger names to write odes of their victories, which choruses performed at elaborate celebrations. Physical strength and literary prowess were inextricably linked .

Thousands of years later, this image appealed to Pierre de Coubertin , a French baron best known as the founder of the modern Olympics in 1896. But today’s Games bear little resemblance to Coubertin’s grand vision: He pictured a competition that would “reunite in the bonds of legitimate wedlock a long-divorced couple— muscle and mind .”

The baron believed that humanity had “lost all sense of eurythmy ,” a word he used to describe the harmony of arts and athletics. The idea can be traced back to sources such as Plato’s Republic , in which Socrates extolls the virtues of education that combines “ gymnastic for the body and music for the soul.” Poets should become athletes, and athletes should try their hand at verse.

That philosophy was a driving force at the 1912 Stockholm Games , where organizers introduced five arts competitions as official Olympic events. Modern history’s first written work to win an Olympic gold medal was “Ode to Sport,” a prose poem by Georges Hohrod and M. Eschbach . It begins:

O Sport, delight of the Gods, distillation of life! In the grey dingle of modern existence, restless with barren toil, you suddenly appeared like the shining messenger of vanished ages, those ages when humanity could smile.

Over the following eight verses, the poets sing Sport’s praises. “O Sport, you are Honor! The titles you bestow are worthless save if won in absolute fairness. … O Sport, you are Joy! At your call the flesh makes holiday and the eyes smile. … O Sport, you are Fecundity! … O Sport, you are Progress!” And so on.

Today’s readers are often underwhelmed by the first poem to win gold, describing it as “ florid ,” “ saccharine ” or “ overblown .” But as far as the 1912 jury was concerned, Hohrod and Eschbach knocked it out of the park.

“The great merit of the ‘Ode to Sport,’ which, in our view, was far and away the winner in the literature competition, was that it is the very model of what the competitions [were] looking for in terms of inspiration,” wrote the jurors in their report.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that Hohrod and Eschbach understood the spirit of the competition, the fabled marriage of muscle and mind, so acutely. That’s because they were pseudonyms for the man who had conceived the whole idea: The author of “Ode to Sport” was none other than Coubertin himself.

The first major excavations at Olympia, the Greek sanctuary that hosted the ancient Games, began in the 1870s. While previous digs had revealed ruins around the Temple of Zeus , the large-scale efforts that followed uncovered sprawling structures and thousands of artifacts .

At the time, Coubertin was a teenager living in France. He had already seen the ruins of ancient Rome on family trips as a young boy, and now he was hearing all about the excavations at Olympia. He had recently started attending a Jesuit school, which provided him with a classical education and strengthened his burgeoning interest in ancient Greece.

“[Coubertin] was raised and educated classically, and he was particularly impressed with the idea of what it meant to be a true Olympian—someone who was not only athletic, but skilled in music and literature,” Richard Stanton, author of The Forgotten Olympic Art Competitions , told Smithsonian magazine in 2012. “He felt that in order to recreate the events in modern times, it would be incomplete to not include some aspect of the arts.”

The baron’s fellow organizers never fully shared his vision. After a few false starts , Coubertin formed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, and the first modern Olympics took place in Athens two years later. But the inaugural 1896 Games included only athletic competitions , such as the discus throw, swimming, fencing and pole vaulting. Several new events debuted in 1900 (among them water polo and archery) and 1904 (boxing and lacrosse), but muscle and mind remained firmly at odds.

Coubertin pressed on. When officials announced that Rome would host the 1908 Olympics, the ancient city’s selection evidently set the baron’s gears churning. On August 5, 1904, he published an article titled “The Roman Olympiad” on the front page of the French newspaper Le Figaro , writing:

The time has come to enter a new phase, and to restore the Olympiads to their original beauty. At the time of Olympia’s splendor … the arts and literature joined with sport to ensure the greatness of the Olympic Games. The same must be true in the future. … Let the Romans now give us such a typical Olympiad and reopen the temple of sport to the ancient companions of its glory.

Coubertin argued that the partnership of sport and art had “outlasted the destruction of Olympia,” and the time had come to “restore this ideal completely.” Now that the first three modern Games had gotten the ball rolling, it was “possible and desirable to bring muscles and thought together again.”

Two years later, the IOC held a conference to seriously consider “to what extent and in what form the arts and literature can participate in the celebration of the modern Olympiads.” The event program listed several arts categories that were under consideration. Under “literature” were two bullet points: “possibility of setting up Olympic literary competitions; conditions for these competitions” and “sporting emotion, source of inspiration for the man of letters.”

Coubertin gave a rousing opening speech, doubling down on the metaphor of muscle and mind’s remarriage. “I would verge on being untruthful if I said that ardent desire compels them to renew their conjugal life today,” he said. “Doubtless their cooperation was long and fruitful, but once separated by adverse circumstances, they had come to a point of complete mutual incomprehension. Absence had made them grow forgetful.”

Officials ultimately agreed to add five arts competitions to the upcoming Olympics in 1908: literature, painting, sculpture, music and architecture. All works entered into these categories, collectively named the Pentathlon of the Muses , would need to be inspired by sports, restoring the ancient harmony that Coubertin had envisioned.

As fate would have it, these plans were interrupted by the recurrence of another famous event from antiquity: Mount Vesuvius erupted.

The disaster killed about 200 people in the spring of 1906. While this number was thankfully far lower than the thousands who died in the 79 C.E. eruption, the event stymied the Games, which were moved to London. Organizers put the arts competitions on hold until the Stockholm Games in 1912.

Turnout was disappointing that first year: Only about three dozen competitors entered all five arts categories combined. The literature contest had fewer than ten entries—including Coubertin’s pseudonymous ode. But these numbers increased slightly in 1924, and the arts competitions garnered more than 1,000 entries in 1928. By that time, the five core events had been broken down into subcategories. Poets, for instance, could try to medal in either “epic” or “lyric” literature.

From the start, the literature category (which was mostly poetry) was particularly controversial. The sports theme didn’t appeal to the famous poets of the early 20th century, “lending a homespun, sideshow quality to the contests,” wrote Tony Perrottet , author of The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Ancient Games , for the New York Times in 2012. Big names like Ireland’s William Butler Yeats skipped the Olympic literature contests, though Yeats’ brother, Jack Butler Yeats, won a silver medal in painting in 1924. Robert Graves , a prominent English poet, also entered that year and lost, later writing in a letter that the competition was a “ bad joke .”

New challenges emerged during the 1936 Berlin Olympics . Adolf Hitler had agreed to host the Games after Joseph Goebbels , his propaganda minister, convinced him that the spectacle would be an opportunity to demonstrate the superiority of the Aryan race. Goebbels also helped run that year’s arts competitions, which awarded nine gold medals across all categories; five went to Germany. Only one American medaled: ​​Charles Downing Lay won silver in “designs for town planning,” which was part of the architecture category. In the literature subcategories, Germany won gold for lyric works , while Finland triumphed in epic works .

The quality of the arts competitions’ record-keeping was inconsistent, and many of the winning works have “mysteriously vanished, … perhaps, as critics have suggested, because of their dubious literary quality,” wrote Perrottet in a separate 2012 Times article. “Historians have searched in vain for ambitious works like ‘A Rider’s Instructions to His Lover,’ for which the German equestrian poet Rudolf Binding won the silver medal in Amsterdam in 1928, or the French rugby champion Charles Gonnet’s zealous ode to ancient Greek athletes, ‘Before the Gods of Olympia’ (bronze, Paris, 1924).”

For many years, Olympic historians tried to track down one particular work: Sword Songs , which earned British poet Dorothy Margaret Stuart a silver medal in 1924. About a decade ago, Perrottet discovered a copy of the poem at the New York Public Library. The 37-page-long text “is a little out of date,” he wrote for the Times , “and sometimes reads like a Monty Python skit.” For instance, in the section that’s set in medieval Scotland—other sections take place in ancient Rome, Renaissance France and 18th-century Dunkirk— James IV watches two warriors fight:

Each sought to thrust the narrow point Swiftly into some crack or joint, Or else to stun and overwhelm With blows on vambrace or on helm

The Pentathlon of the Muses was part of the Olympics for nearly 40 years, awarding a total of some 150 medals . The events boasted at least a few milestones: While American equestrian Robert Dover is sometimes cited as the first openly gay athlete to compete in the modern Olympics, in 1988, the gay South African poet Ernst van Heerden won a silver medal for lyric poetry exactly 40 years earlier. Still, after the 1948 London Olympics, officials decided to scrap the arts categories.

Most historians attribute the IOC’s decision to “the Corinthian ideals of pure amateurism which the Olympic movement had pledged to uphold,” in the words of Apollo magazine . Professional artists were supposed to be barred from entering, but defining such a distinction proved challenging. Additionally, the quality of the submissions was already middling.

One particularly strong voice against the arts events was Avery Brundage , who became president of the IOC in 1952. Stanton, author of The Forgotten Olympic Art Competitions , wonders whether Brundage’s opposition was colored by bitterness. “He had entered in the literature category twice,” Stanton told the Los Angeles Times in 2008. “The best he got was an honorable mention .”

Today, the arts medals are no longer listed in official Olympic records. Even now, there are occasional calls to bring the competitions back, but these suggestions have so far fallen flat.

Coubertin, who died in 1937, never saw the demise of the arts competitions. But when he published his Olympic memoirs in 1931, he shared his opinion on why the events had been such a hard sell.

“The main stumbling block can be summed up in a few words: fear of the classical,” the baron wrote. He believed this fear permeated every category. Take literature: Writers were “wholly unfamiliar with the joys of violent muscular effort” and therefore “incapable of describing them for a public that was not very familiar with them either,” he bemoaned. “In painting, sports scenes required more line than color , that is to say the opposite of the reigning trends.”

As for music?

“The public,” Coubertin wrote, “had completely lost all taste for open-air cantatas.”

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Ellen Wexler is Smithsonian magazine’s assistant digital editor, humanities.

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Bedford Competition

International short story and poetry awards.

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Two prizes of £1,500 (approximately $1,951) each and publication in the Bedford Competition anthology are given annually for a poem and a short story. Jessica Mookherjee will judge in poetry, and Olivia Maidment will judge in fiction. Submit a poem of up to 40 lines or a short story of up to 3,000 words with an £8.50 (approximately $11) entry fee by October 31. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Bedford Competition, International Short Story and Poetry Awards, 28 Miller Road, Bedford MK42 9NZ, England. Philip Carey, Director.

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