Poetry – Meaning, Types and Features

WHAT IS A POETRY 

Poetry is a form of literature that expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas in a beautiful and imaginative way. It uses rhythm, sound, and figurative language to create strong emotions and vivid pictures in the reader’s mind.

Poetry is often written in verses and stanzas, and it may rhyme or follow a specific pattern.

Example:

1. “The sun is shining bright,

2. The sky is clear and blue,

3. The birds sing sweet with light,

4.  And fill the air anew.”

TYPES OF POETRY 

1. Narrative Poetry

Tells a story with characters, setting, and plot. It is similar to a short story but written in verse.

Example: “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

2. Lyric Poetry

Expresses the personal feelings and emotions of the poet. It is usually short and musical in tone.

Example: Love poems, odes, and sonnets.

3. Dramatic Poetry

Written in the form of a speech or dialogue meant to be performed. It expresses strong emotions through characters.

Example: Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” (spoken in poetic lines).

4. Didactic Poetry

Aims to teach moral lessons or give advice. It is educational and reflective.

Example: Poems that teach honesty, hard work, or wisdom.

5. Satirical Poetry

Uses humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize human weaknesses or social problems. Example: Poems that mock greed, corruption, or hypocrisy.

6. Elegy

A sad or mournful poem written to lament the dead or express sorrow.

Example: “Lycidas” by John Milton.

7. Ode

A formal and serious poem that praises a person, object, or event.

Example: “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats.

8. Sonnet

A 14-line poem with a fixed rhyme scheme, often about love or deep thought.

Example: Shakespeare’s sonnets.

FEATURES OF POETRY 

1. Rhyme: The repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines (e.g., cat / hat).

2. Rhythm: The beat or musical flow of the poem created by stressed and unstressed syllables.

3. Stanza: A group of lines in a poem (similar to a paragraph in prose).

4. Imagery: The use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell).

5. Figurative Language: Use of similes, metaphors, personification, etc., to create vivid meaning. Example: “The world is a stage.”

6. Mood and Tone: The feeling or emotion the poet creates (e.g., joyful, sad, angry).

7. Conciseness: Poetry uses few words to express deep meanings.

8. Sound Devices: Includes alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia to enhance musical quality.

SUMMARY 

Poetry is a special form of literature that combines beauty, rhythm, and emotion.