Definitions of poetry forms

Poetry Forms Definitions
alexandrine characteristically twelve syllables may be rhymed or unrhymed
aubade a lyrical love poem about dawn generally with onmatopoeia
ballad a short, simple narrative poem
ballade a poem usually composed of three stanzas and a refrain or envoy (a dedication or a dramatic summary)
double ballade composed of ten line stanzas and refrain
blank verse unrhymed verse; or as in Paradise Lost, English heroic verse without rhyme
bouts-rime Fr. rhymed ends. 17th cent devised by the French poet, Dulot.
carmina figurata also called "concrete poem" and "calligramme" where the words create a shape or pattern identifying what is being referenced.
cento a poem created from passages taken from other sources
chanson de geste French historical epic verse
chant royal changes the ballade structure using five stanzas each with eleven lines followed by an envoi half the length. Rhyme scheme would be ababccddccde.
cinquain American equivalent of the Japanese haiku or tanka. First introduced by Adelaide Crapsey consisting of five lines built upon two, four, six, eight, and two syllables respectively.
clerihew verse consisting of two couplets built around the name of a famous person which prepares the rhyme
couplet two lines of verse in the same meter and rhyme.
couplet, closed complete in two lines
couplet, end-stopped or enjambment where the lines runs logically into the second line
couplet, open where the second line flows into a third line on the same rhyme.
couplet, heroic uses closed, end-stopped and open couplets
dirge ?
doggerel trite, often intentionally humorous verse
eclogue verse on country themes. Other names are bucolic, pastoral.
elegy verse of mourning.
epigram short poem frequently a single couplet
epitaph verse enscribed on headstone
free verse verse that follows the cadence of speech rhythm
haiku Japanese verse in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, usually on a nature topic
limerick humorous verse with three long and two short lines with rhyme scheme of aabbaa
octave verse with eight lines
ode, Pindaric written to celebrate or exalt with an epode or aftersong. For the Greek poet, Pindar
ode, Homeric written to celebrate or exalt without the epode or aftersong
ode, Horatian named for the Italian poet, Horace.
quatrain four line stanza rhymed as abcd
rondeau ?
rondel verse of thirteen lines divided into three stanzas and an unrhymed refrain based on the opening words of the first line.
senryu similar to the rondeau but having fourteen lines on two rhymes with a refrain.
sestina a Japanese verse form with 3 lines with as many as 17 syllables meant to be humorous.
sonnet verse consisting of six stanzas of six lines each concluding with a tercet.
sonnet, Shakespearian a poem of fourteen lines of rhymed couplets on single thought
tanka see haiku fourteen limes however the last couplet is independently rhymed.
tercet three lines of verse that form a group
terza rima three lines of verse that have linked rhymes; ex.aba; bcb, cdc and so on.
threnody see dirge
villanelle verse of nineteen lines on two rhymes in six stanzas, with the first and third lines repeated.

See also: Poetry Meters


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