Types of Poems

A poem is a composition that expresses emotions or shows something in an imaginative way. Poems can be categorized many different ways. The three main types of poems are narrative, dramatic, or lyric.

NARRATIVE: A narrative poem tells a story and includes ballads and epics. A great example of a narrative poem is Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, “The Raven.” Here is an excerpt:
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted – nevermore.

DRAMATIC: Dramatic poetry is written in verse and is supposed to be recited. The opening of Christopher Marlowe’s “Tamburlaine the Great” is a great example of dramatic poetry:
From jigging veins of riming mother witsAnd such conceits as clownage keeps in payWe’ll lead you to the stately tent of war,Where you shall hear the Scythian TamburlaineThreatening the world with high astounding termsAnd scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword.

LYRIC: This poetry is very emotional, musical, and focuses on attitudes, feelings, and the poet’s state of mind. Examples include odes and sonnets, like the famous Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare. Here is an excerpt:
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimmed,And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimmed:

Types of Poems