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What is the genre of Poetry?

A poem is a composition that uses words to evoke emotions in an imaginative way. Although poetry is a form of self-expression that knows no bounds, it can be safely divided into three main genres: lyric poetry, narrative poetry and dramatic poetry. Keep reading to see examples of poetry genres in each of these genres.

Lyric Poetry Examples

Lyric poetry uses song-like and emotional words to describe a moment, an object, a feeling, or a person. Lyric poems do not necessarily tell a story but focus on the poet’s personal attitudes and state of mind. They use sensory language to set the scene and inspire emotions in the reader.

There are several types of poetry that one could classify as lyric poetry. They include:

• elegy - a reflective poem to honor the dead

• haiku - a seventeen-syllable poem that uses natural imagery to express an emotion

• ode - an elevated poem that pays tribute to a person, idea, place, or another concept

• sonnet - a descriptive fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme

When you read a lyric poem, you are transported to a different time or place. Writing lyric poems is an effective way to illustrate your perspective and share a special moment with others.

Narrative Poetry Examples

A narrative poem tells a story. Also known as epic poetry, narrative poetry is often set to music as ballads. Narrative poems are usually of human interest and include epics, or long stories.

Examples of poetry in this category include:

• allegory - a narrative poem that uses an extended metaphor to make a point

• ballad - narrative poetry set to music

• burlesque - a mock-epic poem that tells an ordinary story in a melodramatic way

• epic - a lengthy poem that tells a story of heroic adventures

If the story changes over the course of the poem, it’s a narrative poem. The rhyme scheme and meter may change between narrative poems, but all narrative poems tell a story from the perspective of a third-person narrator.

Dramatic Poetry Examples

Dramatic poetry, also known as dramatic monologue, is meant to be spoken or acted. Similar to narrative poetry, dramatic poetry tells a story. You’re most likely to find dramatic poetry in the form of dramatic (or even comedic) monologues or soliloquies written in a rhyming verse.

Many dramatic poems appear as:

• monologue - a speech given by one character to another, or by one character to the audience (also known as dramatic verse when not in poetic form)

• soliloquy - a speech given by one character to himself or herself; a dramatic representation of inner monologue

While narrative poetry is told by a narrator, dramatic poetry is written from the perspective of a character in the story. Narrative poetry tends to set the scene and describe what's happening, whereas dramatic poetry tends to lead with a main character entering the scene and speaking.

Source: https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-poems.html

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