12 Essential Types of Poetry Every Aspiring Poet Should Know

Poetry, unlike story structure, is a constantly expanding medium that is also built on centuries of creativity and form.

Knowing the different types of poetry can help you conceptualize just how vast and free-flowing poetry can be. You can adhere to a specific structure, or you can break free and create a new format completely.

Here are some of the most common forms of poetry:

Haiku

A haiku must contain three lines, with the first line containing five syllables, the 2nd line containing seven syllables, and the 3rd line having 5 syllables. 

The haiku itself originated in Japan during the 17th century.

Although original haikus were primarily centered on nature, nowadays haikus can be about anything, so long as they follow the above rules on structure. 

Sonnet

When you think of the word “sonnet,” you likely think about Shakespeare’s works.

Although Shakespeare does have a hand in the English sonnet, also known as the Shakespearean sonnet, there is also another form, known as the Petrarchan sonnet.

The differences are as follows:

• Petrarchan Sonnet: 2 stanzas. In the first 8 lines, there must be a question or observation, and in the 8th to 9th line, there should be a dramatic turn (volta). The rhyme scheme includes ABBA, ABBA, CDECDE.

• Shakespearean Sonnet: Must contain four lines (quatrain), followed by a couplet (2 lines). The couplet usually draws some conclusions. The rhyme scheme includes ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, and GG.

Sonnets themselves, no matter which type, typically deal with romance.

However, as with other poetic forms on this list, as long as you follow the same structure.

You can write about anything.

For example, the Campus Sonnets” by Stephen Vincent Benét deals with life of early 20th-century university students. 

Ode 

You may have heard of “The Ode to Joy,” the final part of Symphony No. 9th.

If you don’t recognize it by name, you may be familiar with the music. It often makes its way into film and especially commercials!

Essentially, an ode is a lyrical poem, often ceremonious, that focuses on a person, place, thing, or concept.

For example, in “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats, Keats focuses on figurative art, using the urn itself as a motif. 

Odes vary significantly in their form, but you can recognize them by the lyricism in the poetry, the focus on a particular concept, or because it outright has the words “ode it” somewhere in the poem or is in the title itself.

Elegy 

Unlike the above, an elegy is focused on mourning, not celebration. Often, an elegy is confused with a eulogy, but they are entirely different.

The former is mournful and gloomy, while the latter praises the deceased and is often spoken as part of the funeral service. 

It should be noted that while an elegy is often about a specific person or beloved pet that has died, an elegy can also be about death in general.

For example, Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” examines death itself and the simple nature of rural life.

 Golden Shovel

 The golden shovel poem is more of a deconstruction of a verse from another poet.

Essentially, you take a line (or lines) from a poem that isn’t one you wrote. Each word in this line (or lines) becomes the ending word of your verse.

The lines should be kept in order, and you must give credit to the previous poet, though you do not have to keep the concept the same.

This concept was created in “The Golden Shovel” by Terrance Hayes, who used a line from Gwendolyn Brook’s “We Real Cool.” 

Limerick

My first introduction to the limerick form of poetry began in grade school with the words, “There once was an old man of Nantucket, who kept all his cash in a bucket….” I’m sure you can likely guess the rest.

A limerick is a short, primarily comical poem composed of 5 lines; 2 are longer (7-10 syllables), 2 are shorter (5 – 7 syllables), and has one closing line of 7 – 10 syllables. 

Often, that closing line is a punchline for the setup in the preceding lines.

The rhyming scheme follows an AABBA pattern. 

Epigram

Similar to a limerick, an epigram is a poem that is also comical, witty, and sometimes satirical. It can be one line (like a satirical statement) but is usually composed of a couplet (2 lines) or a quatrain (4 lines). Epigram comes from the Greek word epigraphein, which means to “inscribe.” 

Epigrams rely heavily on wit and the ability to engage in wordplay.

This is not limited to poetry, as epigrams often make their appearances in other forms of writing, such as a speech delivered to an audience. For example, a famous speech by John F. Kennedy incudes the epigram, “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.”  

Ekphrastic

Another poem that has its origins in Greek is the Ekphrastic style of poetry. Ekphrastic is Greek for “description,” and true to that meaning, this poem style describes a work of art, be it a painting, statue, photograph, etc. 

There are no different rules other than a poem exploring or describing the art.

The poem can be comprised of 8 lines or 2, and it can include a specific rhyming scheme or be devoid of rhyme altogether. A great example is Anne Sexton’s “The Starry Night,” inspired by a Vincent Van Gogh painting by the same name.  

Confessional 

While you may be aware that writing contributes significantly to your mental health, did you know that poetry can also do the same?

True to its namesake, confessional poetry confesses something – be it an individual experience built on trauma, exploration of identity, mental illness, etc. 

This style of poetry also has freedom in its structure and emerged in the 1950s.

One of the most famous poets that work in this style is Sylvia Plath, who often deals with themes of mental illness, her complicated relationship with her father, and trauma. 

Concrete

The only rule of a concrete poem is that it must take the shape of a concrete image (hence the name). This is done by manipulating spacing, letters, or words to create the idea's form.

I have seen concrete poems take the image of trees, flowers, a beloved pet, etc.

Typically, the subject matter is related to the poem’s form, but this is not always the case. For a great look at concrete poetry, look at this one from George Herbert below:

Docupoetry

Also known as documentary poetry, this form of poetry uses nonliterary texts, such as newspapers, legal documents, historical documents, journals, and other types of ephemera to create a poem. 

This type of poetry is often concerned with social commentary, often based on the document it is.

For example, in many of Reginald Dwayne Betts’ poetry, he uses redaction to blackout legal motions, commenting on inequalities in the prison system. 

Free Verse

Finally, a free verse is exactly what it sounds like! It is a type of poetry that is not bound to one specific form. You can do anything you want and create structure and rules.

Embracing Poetic Form As a Poet

Poetry is a versatile and ever-evolving art form that offers a myriad of ways to express human emotions, observations, and experiences. From the structured elegance of the Sonnet to the unrestricted freedom of Free Verse, each poetic form has its unique set of rules and characteristics that make it special.

Why not pick a form that resonates with you and start crafting your own poetic masterpiece today? Who knows, you might even come up with a new form altogether!

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