Poetic Form Flashcards
Blank verse
Blank verse is poetry written with a precise metre—almost always iambic pentameter—that does not rhyme.
Rhymed poetry
Rhymed poems rhyme by definition, although their scheme varies.
Free verse
Free verse poetry is poetry that lacks a consistent rhyme scheme, metrical pattern, or musical form.
Epics
An epic poem is a lengthy, narrative work of poetry. These long poems typically detail extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past.
Narrative poetry
Similar to an epic, a narrative poem tells a story; it’s just not as long.
Haiku
A haiku is a three-line poetic form originating in Japan. The first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line again has five syllables.
Pastoral poetry
A pastoral poem is one that concerns the natural world, rural life, and landscapes.
Sonnet
A sonnet is a 14 line poem, typically (but not exclusively) concerning the topic of love.
Sonnets contain internal rhymes within their 14 lines; the exact rhyme scheme depends on the style of a sonnet, Petrarchan or Shakespearean.
Elegy
An elegy is a poem that reflects upon death or loss. Traditionally, it contains themes of mourning, loss, and reflection.
Ode
Much like an elegy, an ode is a tribute to its subject, although the subject need not be dead — or even sentient.
Limerick
A limerick is a five-line poem that consists of a single stanza, an AABBA rhyme scheme, and whose subject is a short, pithy tale or description.
Lyric poetry
Lyric poetry refers to the broad category of poetry that concerns feelings and emotion.
Ballad
A ballad is a form of narrative verse that can be either poetic or musical.
It typically follows a pattern of rhymed quatrains. It represents a melodious form of storytelling.
Dramatic monologue
A poem in which an imagined speaker addresses a silent listener, usually not the reader, expressing inner thoughts that an audience might not otherwise know.
Villanelle
A nineteen-line poem consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with a highly specified internal rhyme scheme. Originally a variation on a pastoral, the villanelle has evolved to describe obsessions and other intense subject matters.
