Poetics: Different Forms

The English language features several diverse forms of poetry. While there are literally dozens of poetic styles, the following is a list of commonly known and used forms.

Haiku
Consisting of three separate lines with 5, 7, and 5 syllables, the Haiku is of Japanese descent. Traditionally, this form of poetry is about nature.

Sonnet
The sonnet is a lyric poem that features one or two stanzas. This type of poem contains iambic pentameter in 14 lines. Shakespeare is well known for his love sonnets.

Sestina
The sestina features six 6-line stanzas and then a 3-line stanza. There is a preset outline in that the same six words are repetitive at the conclusions of lines throughout the work. The final word in the final line of one stanza becomes the final word of the initial line in the following stanza. The poem concludes with the last 3-line stanza, all six stanzas end words emerge.

Ballad
A written work that describes a story like that of a legend or a folk tale. A ballad will generally feature a repeated refrain.

Limerick
A humorous poem, short in nature, the limerick consists of five anapestic lines. The first, second and fifth line of a limerick feature seven to 10 syllables. These lines also rhyme. The third and fourth lines have five to seven syllables. These two lines also rhyme with each other.

Burlesque
A play, essay, or story that makes fun of a serious subject.

Rhyme Royal
Introduced by Geoffrey Chaucer, a rhyme royal poem features seven lines in iambic pentameter.

Epic
A serious and long poem that relays the story of a heroic icon. Two primary examples of this form of poetry include the Odyssey and the poem of Hiawatha.

Senryu
Another Japanese form of poetry, the senryu is much like the haiku in terms of structure. However, this type of poetry focuses on mankind in a satiric manner.

Poetry-online.org also offers an extensive collection of poetry resources for a more in-depth look at the world of poetics.