As most of you surely know, poems are not just random lines of storytelling with a rhyming word at the end of each line. Depending on the type of the poem, there is often some kind of structure, pattern or a rhythm, and many a time no rhymes at all. Here you will learn the basics of four common types of poetry.

Blank Verse Poetry

With regular metrical lines but no rhymes, blank verse is one of the poetry forms that is believed to have had a great influence on the English language. More often than not, it is written in iambic pentameter, which is a type of metrical line common in English poetry. William Shakespeare was one of the best-known figures to have used iambic pentameter in his works.

Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry is usually a short poem with a single narrator expressing his emotional state. Among others, it includes odes, sonnets and dramatic monologues. Even though the origins of lyric poetry are in Ancient Greece, and it used to be presented with music in the background, it is still debatable whether song lyrics are to be considered poetry or not.

Limerick

Consisting of five lines, often written with a humorous tone, you have probably bumped into a limerick before. Limericks have a strict structure since the first, second and fifth lines must have 7-10 syllables, and the third and fourth lines must have 5-7 syllables. Rhythm and rhymes are essential in a limerick.

Haiku

Haiku has its origins in Japan and is another well-known form of poetry. It is very short and simple, but with a fixed structure. In Japanese, it is written in a single vertical line, whereas in English it usually consists of three short lines. The theme is often related to nature and the serenity of it.