Haiku:

Known as Haiku or Hokku

Ancient form of Japanese poetry that is now famous around the world
Contains 3 lines – tercet
The first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7 syllables and the third
has 5 syllables again
Haiku words do not have to rhyme
Dwells on a mood or situation like haiku poems about life or haiku
poems about nature

So, is a haiku only 3 lines? Traditionally, yes! Here’s a haiku example of

a famous Haiku by Kobayashi Issa

“A World of Dew” by Kobayashi Issa

A world of dew,

And within every dewdrop

A world of struggle.

Free Verse:

Modern poetry
Does not conform to traditional structures of poetry
May or may not rhyme
Can have as many lines or stanzas as the poet wishes to include
Free verse poem is a more contemporary style of writing poetry and
here is a free verse example that was written many years ago (1952)
and became quite the talk of town with its unconventional manners
because it lacks punctuation and some say that the void actually adds
to its fluidity:

E.E. Cummings’s “[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]”

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

Acrostic
Usually spells out a name or word, phrase or message
To do so it uses the first letter of each line of the poem
It may or may not rhyme
The word that is spelt out plays on the theme of the poem
Here are some acrostic poem examples:

A simpler example for acrostic poetry would be Hope in a Dream by

Adalia Medina:

Hold onto your dream while mindful of time.

Optimism required, let your light shine.
Persistence prevails, while some may cast doubt.
Expectation desired is what it’s about.

On a relatively complex note:

An Acrostic – Edgar Allen Poe

Elizabeth it is in vain you say

“Love not” — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L.E.L.
Zantippe’s talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breath it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His follie — pride — and passion — for he died.

Sonnets

Sonnet poems are an old form of poetry

Made famous by William Shakespeare
Originated in 13th century Italy through poet Petrarch
Derived from the Italian word ‘sonnetto’ meaning a ‘little song’
Sonnets contain 14 lines and usually revolve around love
Petrarchan sonnets/Italian sonnets follow the ABBA ABBA CDE CDE
rhyme scheme
Shakespearean sonnets/English sonnets are usually ABAB CDCD EFEF
GG
Now that you know what a sonnet poem is and here is your sonnet
example for the day:
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand’ring bark,

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle’s compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me prov’d,

I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d.

Villanelle

Villanelle poetry is another old form of poetry

Originated in France and has many rules
Made up of 19 lines
Five stanzas of three lines (tercet)
Final stanza of four lines (quatrain)
Villanelle poetry rhyme scheme is usually ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA
ABAA
This type of poetry only has two rhyming sounds
Villanelle poetry contains a lot of repetition throughout
Line one is repeated in lines 6, 12 and 18
Line three is repeated in lines nine, 15 and 19
Now that you know what villanelle poetry rules are and how villanelle
poetry is written here is a famous villanelle poetry example:

A Dainty Thing’s The Villanelle – William Ernest Henley

A DAINTY thing’s the Villanelle,
Sly, musical, a jewel in rhyme,
It serves its purpose passing well.

A double-clappered silver bell

That must be made to clink in chime,
A dainty thing’s the Villanelle;

And if you wish to flute a spell,

Or ask a meeting ‘neath the lime,
It serves its purpose passing well.

You must not ask of it the swell

Of organs grandiose and sublime–
A dainty thing’s the Villanelle;

And, filled with sweetness, as a shell

Is filled with sound, and launched in time,
It serves its purpose passing well.

Still fair to see and good to smell

As in the quaintness of its prime,
A dainty thing’s the Villanelle,
It serves its purpose passing well.

Limerick

Meant to be funny or rude

Made popular by Edward Lear in the 19th century
AABBA is the set rhyme scheme for limerick poetry
Lines one, two and five are longer in length than lines three and four
The last line of limerick poetry is usually the punchline
Limerick poetry is usually light and funny here’s an example:

God’s plan made a hopeful beginning.

But man spoiled his chances by sinning.
We trust that the story
Will end in God’s glory,
But at present the other side’s winning.

Ode
It is known to be one of the oldest forms of poetry
May have originated from ancient Greece
The word ode has been derived from the Greek word ‘aeidein’ meaning
‘to sing or chant’
Originally performed with a musical instrument
Usually written to praise a person, event or thing
We hope this blog helped you understand what is an ode in simple
terms. Here is an ode example:

Ode to the West Wind Percy Bysshe Shelly

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,
Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed
The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low,
Each like a corpse within its grave, until
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow
Her clarion o’er the dreaming earth, and fill
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)
With living hues and odours plain and hill:
Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;
Destroyer and preserver; hear, oh hear!

Elegy

Does not have a rule per say

Usually based around the subject of death
Usually about a loved one that has passed away
Some have a sad yet hopeful ending
Elements of elegy may seem intimidating but we hope this blog helped
you understand what is an elegy, so here is an elegy example:

‘On My First Sonne’ was written excellently by Ben Jonson and

published in 1616 after the death of his 7 year old son – Benjamin in the
year 1603.

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;

My sin was too much hope of thee, lov’d boy.

Seven years tho’ wert lent to me, and I thee pay,

Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.

O, could I lose all father now! For why

Will man lament the state he should envy?

To have so soon ‘scap’d world’s and flesh’s rage,

And if no other misery, yet age?

Rest in soft peace, and, ask’d, say, “Here doth lie

Ben Jonson his best piece of poetry.”

For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such,

As what he loves may never like too much.

Ballad

Old and traditional form of poetry

Revolves around a dramatic or emotional story
Originated from Europe in the late Middle Ages
Often heard with music
Usually they have four lines (quatrain) and have a set rhyme scheme of
ABAB or ABCB
Ballad poems may seem difficult to understand, so here’s a Ballad
example of an ancient piece that first appeared in print in 1802, in
Walter Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. It was also collected
by Francis James Child. This ballad became particularly popular in
America and has many variants.

The Wife of Usher’s Well

‘I wish the wind may never cease,
Nor fashes in the flood,
Till my three sons come hame to me,
In earthly flesh and blood.’

It fell about the Martinmas,

When nights are lang and mirk.
The carline wife’s three sons came hame,
And their hats were o’ the birk.

It neither grew in syke nor ditch,

Nor yet in ony sheugh;
But at the gates o’ Paradise,
That birk grew fair eneugh.

‘Blow up the fire, my maidens,

Bring water from the well;
For a’ my house shall feast this night,
Since my three sons are well.’

And she has made to them a bed,

She’s made it large and wide;
And she’s ta’en her mantle her about,
Sat down at the bed-side.

Up then crew the red, red cock,

And up and crew the gray
The eldest to the youngest said,
‘Tis time we were away.’

The cock he hadna craw’d but once,

And clapp’d his wings at a’,
When the youngest to the eldest said,
‘Brother, we must awa’.

‘The cock doth craw, the day doth daw,

The channerin’ worm doth chide;
Gin we be miss’d out o’ our place,
A sair pain we maun bide.’

‘Lie still, lie still but a little wee while,

Lie still but if we may;
Gin my mother should miss us when she wakes,
She’ll go mad ere it be day.’

‘Fare ye weel, my mother dear!

Fareweel to barn and byre!
And fare ye weel, the bonny lass
That kindles my mother’s fire!’