Atlantic Cape Libraries

WRITTEN ART

Poetry comes in many different forms. I believe this feature makes it so uniquely beautiful. Poetry allows the creator to demonstrate written artistic abilities aimed at captivating their readers. It is more than words on a paper or screen. It is the written expression of emotions, humor, romance, life, death, relationships, and more. 

FORMS OF POETRY

If you are unaware of the different forms of poetry, continue reading because I am about to open your mind to a whole new world of writing. Please note, this does not include all forms of poetry, but it definitely touches on a great deal of them!

1. Haiku - If you are like me, this form of poetry is no stranger. Haikus are a form of ancient Japanese poetry consisting of three lines following this pattern: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, & 5 syllables. 

Here is an example... created by... Me.

Life is a journey...

It has twist, turns, ups, and downs.

Hop on and enjoy!

2. Free Verse - This is a more modern form of poetry in which there are NO RULES. Sure, that sounds cool. I mean who doesn't want to be limited by lines and rhymes. However, the nature of this form of poetry actually makes it pretty difficult to master. That said, I do love and appreciate the creativity of the artists when writing in this form. I have seen writers create images in the blank space surrounding the words by spacing them out to help readers see the whole picture. I have read free verse novels like Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds or Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson and found myself lost in the words on each page. When free verse is mastered, you will know. It will captivate you unlike anything you have ever read before.

Check out this example by Ropi Kaur: "Accent"

"my voice

is the offspring

of two countries colliding

what is there to be ashamed of

if english

and my mother tongue

made love

my voice

is her father's words

and mother's accent

what does it matter if

my mouth carries two worlds"

3. Sonnet - This is the poetry of love and was the poetry form of choice by William Shakespeare. Traditionally, sonnets are 14 lines in length, rhyme, and deal with love.

To learn more and explore this form of poetry, stop in the library and take a look at some of the books on sonnets available in our collection.

4. Acrostic - This form of poetry is also commonly learned in school. This form of written art has one primary rule: it must spell out a name, word, or phrase. Traditionally, it is the first letter of each line in which the name, word, or phrase is spelled.

Here is an example I created for demonstration using the word April:

Afternoon showers,

Plants blooming,

Rainbows in the sky,

Indescribable feelings, and

Love all around!

5. Limerick - Primary Purpose: Humor. They have a set structure consisting of five lines. This form of poetry is commonly used in nursery rhymes... Hickory Dickory Dock is one of them!

A famous Limerick by Edward Lear:

There was an old man with a beard,

Who said, 'It is just as I feared!

Two Owls and a Hen,

Four Larks and a Wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard!'

6. Epic - This a long narrative used to tell the story of a hero. One very well-known example is The Iliad.

If you want to give The Iliad a read, be sure to stop in the library! To view and/or place a hold on a specific copy, visit our catalog.

7. Ballad - Ballads typically share an emotional story and consist of four lines with a set structure of rhyming.

Enjoy this little piece by Edgar Allan Poe: "Annabel Lee"

"It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me."

WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

• Dip into your creative side and try writing a poem of your own!
• Read one poem each day.
• Find a novel written in free verse to enjoy. You may not be asking my opinion on novels in verse, BUT I find them mesmerizing. If I pick one up, I cannot put it down until I am finished. I mentioned my two favorites earlier, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.
• Share a favorite poem with someone else!