Poetry dates back even further than when writing began. The oldest poetry can be traced back to over 4000 years ago. Poems can be as short as just a few words, or they can be an entire book. Some poems are lighthearted and amusing, and other poems might have very serious tones. While some poems rhyme, others can be unrhymed.
Poems may have rhyming couplets. Couplets are two lines that usually have the same meter and end with rhyming words.
Rhyming couplets are not as common as quatrains. A quatrain poem uses patterns in four lines. Usually, the rhyming pattern is ABAB, where the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme—like cow/anyhow and one/one.
Sometimes, quatrains can follow an AABB rhyming pattern as well. There could be more than one stanza in a quatrain poem. It is also common for the rhyming pattern to be ABCB, where only the second and fourth line of each stanza rhyme. Often, rhyme and rhythm patterns define what kind of poem it is.
A sonnet is a poem with fourteen lines, and it is usually divided into quatrains. Other sonnets might be divided into eight lines followed by six lines. The rhyming scheme for an English sonnet typically follows the abab, cdcd, efef, gg pattern. William Shakespeare, a famous poet, writer, and actor, wrote 154 sonnets in his lifetime.
A limerick is usually a silly, nonsensical, and humorous poem. This poem has five lines, with lines one, two, and five rhyming, and then lines three and four rhyming as well. In limericks some syllables are stressed, meaning emphasized, and others are unstressed, meaning not emphasized.
Not all kinds of poems have to rhyme. Poetry is often called verse. Books and other forms of literature are considered prose. Poetry, or verse, is when the writing has special considerations for rhythm and form. Even if a poem does not rhyme or have a steady rhythm, it is very different from prose writing.
Acrostic poems are very popular in schools. In an acrostic poem, one word is written vertically. Every line in the poem starts with one letter from that vertical word. The vertical word is the theme of the poem.
A haiku is a form of poetry that originated in Japan. Haikus are beautiful and very symbolic. The purpose of a haiku is to capture the feeling and image of a moment. Haikus are all about syllables. They have to follow a strict pattern. A haiku is always three lines. The first and third lines have five syllables. The second line has seven syllables.
Sometimes, poets will use onomatopoeia to create more vivid imagery. This allows the readers to hear the sounds in the poem. If the poet wants the readers to hear the sound of bees nearby, "buzz" might be added to the writing.
Another way to capture attention is to use alliteration. Alliteration uses a repetition of beginning sounds to get the readers to focus on a certain section. Some alliterations are also tongue twisters; they can be hard to say. If you're feeling confident, you can attempt this one, "A good cook could cook as many cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies."
There are poems for every occasion. Some people read poems for fun or to get a glimpse of the wise minds before them. Others might read poems to understand thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Some poets have read poems at presidential inaugurations. Maya Angelou recited "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's inauguration. Her reading was so powerful that she received an award for it.
If you have inspiration or a Muse, go ahead and write your own poem. You can use poetry to express yourself.