Types of Poetry

Types of Poetry

 Narrative: 

Definition: A poem that tells a story.

Example:

Agnes Hatot   by: Henry Abbey (1842-1911)

When might made right in days of chivalry, Hatot and Ringsdale, over claims of land, Darkened their lives with stormy enmity, And for their cause agreed this test to stand: To fight steel-clad till either's blood made wet The soil disputed; and a time was set.   But Hatot sickened when the day drew near, And strength lay racked that once had been his boast. Then Agnes, his fair daughter, for the fear That in proud honor he would suffer most, Resolved to do the battle in his name, And leave no foothold for the tread of Shame.   She, at the gray, first coming of the day, Shook off still sleep, and from her window gazed. The west was curtained with night's dark delay; A cold and waning moon in silence raised It's bent and wasted finger o'er the vale, And seemed sad Death that beckoned, wan and pale.   But Hope sails by the rugged coasts of Fear; For while awakened birds sang round her eaves, Our Agnes armed herself with knightly gear Of rattling hauberk and of jointed greaves; Withal she put on valor, that to feel Does more for victory than battle-steel.   She had a sea of hair, whose odor sweet, And golden softness, in a moonless tide Ran rippling toward the white coast of her feet; But as beneath a cloud the sea may hide, Son in her visored, burnished helmet, there, Under the cloud-like plume, was hid her hair.   Bearing the mighty lance, sharp-spiked and long, She at the sill bestrode her restless steed. Her kneeling soul prayed God to make her strong, And prayer is nearest path to every need. She clattered on the bridge, and on apace, And met dread Ringsdale at the hour and place.   They clash in onslaught; steel to steel replies; The champed bit foams; rider and ridden fight. Each feels the grim and brutal instinct rise That in forefront of havoc takes delight. The lightning of the lances flashed and ran, Until, at last, the maid unhorsed the man.   Then on her steed, she, bright-eyed, flushed, and glad, Her helmet lifted in the sylvan air; And from the iron concealment that it had, The noiseless ocean of her languid hair Broke in disheveled waves: the cross and heart, Jewels that latched her vest, she drew apart.   "Lo, it is Agnes, even I!" she said, "Who with my trusty lance have thrust thee down! For hate of shame the fray I hazarded; And yet, not me the victory should crown, But God, the Merciful, who helps the right, And lent me strength to conquer in the fight."    Ballads: Definition: A poem that is written in a song that tells story about love, betrayal, or death. Example: I Hear Voices... And from the graves, where names were carved in stone, came a mournful Ballad, of life gone by. A Ballad sang by mothers, whose children left behind, and left to sing their ballads, of tears that did remain. And what of Fathers Ballad, whose job was not complete, who died and sang his song, of things that could not be. In a smaller voices, still weeping and confused, the children sang their Ballad, of parents never knew. And in some far off place, a Ballad did come fourth, of all the deaths that happened, that wasn't meant to be. A soldiers painful Ballad, did seemed so unjust, of the war that finally killed him, in a land he never knew. The Ballad, of unknown, thou human, none the less, were buried here alone, with not a one to care. In the quiet of a cemetery morn, the Ballad of the dead, echoes silently across green grass, and through the granite stones. It makes one wonder, about the Ballad of the dead, and what will be our song...when we are finally gone.  Epic: Definition:  A long narrative poem that is written in elegant language that tells a story about a hero.  Example:  The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem written by Virgil in the 1st century BC (between 29 and 19 BC) that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is written in dactylic hexameter (considered to be the Grand Style of classical poetry). The first six of the poem’s twelve books tell the story of Aeneas’ wanderings from Troy to Italy, and the poem’s second half treats the Trojans’ ultimately victorious war upon the Latins, under whose name Aeneas and his Trojan followers are destined to be subsumed.   Lyric: Definition: A type of poem that is used to express feelings and thoughts. Example: Love Lyric by: Jake Erkens Guitar strings strummed The drum sticks beating And the vocalist singing A love lyric to his beloved one A love lyric for all star-crossed lovers A love lyric to true love Going falsetto And three notes lower His girlfriend in the front row Lifts her hands up high in the air As he sings a love lyric While the band plays the notes A love lyric to his beloved one A love lyric for all star-crossed lovers A love lyric to true love Sonnets:  Definition: A lyric poem that is always fourteen lines long, from unstressed syllables to stressed syllables. Per sentence carries 5 each. Example: Decision   There are only two possibilities God the result of imagination Or God the Lord over all creation With supernatural abilities Considering the liabilities The former, a finite observation The latter, spirit rejuvenation With its infinite capabilities Choosing the former one has to reason What's wanted is some final solution An end to it all with no life ahead I choose the latter for a new season Trusting in God as my resolution Gaining promised eternal life instead Odes: Definition: A long and complex poem that uses elegant language to celebrate for a person or a thing. Example:  An Important Quality...Compassion Let us speak of compassion and giving aid to our fellow human beings. Why are we so slow to take note of our brothers plight? Is it not strange, that so many times it requires the tragedies of society, to reveal the best of humanity? So many dire, critical events and desperate pleas of mankind are seen in the light of day. It seems they are not responded to, until the twelfth hour, when darkness comes and all seems lost. Is it not better to respond to a cry for help before the darkness, while there is time, while the light of hope burns brightly? © Joe Fazio  elegies:  Definition: A type of poem that is for mourning, usually for a death person. Example:  Elegy You are my living elegy Breathing beating beasting feasting incantation bleeding sound boiling to heat becoming LIGHT you are my living beauty you yes, you burst begetting brilliance scintillant substance of quintessence fetting my realized actualized unconscious eidolON Angel of the lord washing the dirt from sun-burnt FACE We we Are living this being this beauteous elegy fruitious monument of merriment magnificent Magical melody    Free Verse: Definition: A poem that doesn't follow any rhyme scheme or meter, but it does include other elements of poetry. Example: Betrayed Spoken--a word implicit. A concept--broken. Trust-- A token, dropped In the machine-- Time's up. I have proven over And again, I am Tougher than I seem-- A fool still, hopeful. And you never say You grant me equal credibility Or similar delusions. To believe everything You say--how can I give you what I am not given? But I do-- I would, and I will. And I let you Keep pieces of me Locked, keyed to you Secretly--only I Can no longer Be sure of finding them-- You will tell me, I or you Right or wrong. And this new Revisionist me Wants only to be right And for you to know.