Types of Poetry (with examples)

Types of poetry

There are different types of poetry, since poetry is classified into different subgenres according to its content. For instance: lyrical poetry, epic poetry, dramatic poetry.

The poetry it's a literary genre that is characterized by doing subjective descriptions and because their texts are generally written in verse, although in some cases they may be written in prose.

The purpose of this genre is mainly aesthetic and, therefore, different literary resources to express feelings, ideas, emotions and reflections on a wide variety of topics.

In earlier times, such as Antiquity, the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, poetry followed different rules, since, according to the genre or type of composition, poetry had a certain metric, which determined the type of verse and the rhyme, and different types of stanzas.

At present, poetry is freer since it does not conform to pre-established rules, that is, the length of the verse, the rhyme and the structure of a poetry are chosen by each poet.

Types of poetry

The poems belong to different subgenres according to their content and according to their objective:

Examples of types of poetry

1. Lyric poetry. "Canción II" by Garcilaso de la Vega (Spanish Golden Age)

The loneliness following,
surrendered to my fortune,
I go through the paths that are offered,
for them spreading
my complaints d’one in one
to the wind, which carries them do they perish.
Well they all do not deserve
to be heard from you,
not just one hour heard,
I have pity that they are lost
where the remedies usually go;
they have to turn to me,
where they will forever have to stay.

But what will I do, lady,
in such misfortune?
Where will I go if I don't go with her?
Who can I now
use my sadness
If my complaint does not find shelter in you?
You alone are that one
with whom my will
she receives such deception
that, seeing you always enjoy my damage,
I complain to you as if in truth
your strong condition
had any account with my death.

The trees I present,
among the hard rocks,
as a witness of what I have concealed from you;
of what among them I count
they will be able to give good signs,
if signs can give of confusion.
But who will have a concert
in counting the pain,
what is of enemy order?
Do not give me pity for what I pray I say,
that fear will no longer hold me back:
Who could fill
not to wait for a remedy and to complain!

But this is forbidden to me
with such works
that he was never defended against anyone,
what if others have left
to publish their evils,
crying the bad state to which they have come,
madam, it will not have been
but with improvement
and relief in his torment;
but it has come in me to be what I feel
of such art that already in my fantasy
it does not fit, and so I stay
suffering what I cannot say.

If by chance I am
ever my eyes
for the long process of my damages,
with what I defend myself
of such great anger
it is only, there, with my deceptions;
plus your disappointments
they overcome my delirium
and my defenses weaken,
without me being able to give other rewards
but, being yours more than mine,
I wanted to lose myself like this
for taking revenge on you, lady, on me.

Song, I've said more than they sent me
and less than I thought;
ask me no more, I'll tell you.

1. Epic poetry. Fragment of The Iliad from Homer (Ancient Greece)

Anger sings, oh goddess, of Pelida Achilles,
accursed, who caused the Achaeans countless pains,
precipitated many brave lives to Hades
of heroes and made themselves prey for the dogs
and for all the birds -and thus the plan of Zeus is fulfilled-,
since they separated for the first time after having quarreled
the Atrid, sovereign of men, and Achilles, of the Zeus caste.

1. Dramatic poetry. Fragment of "Life is a dream" by Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681)

CLARION
Say two, and don't leave me
at the inn to me when you complain;
What if two of us have been
those of us who have left our homeland
to try adventures,
two those who between misfortunes and madness
here we have arrived,
and two of us who have rolled off the mountain,
Isn't it reason that I feel
put myself in the regret and not in the account?

ROSAURA
I did not want to give you part
in my complaints, Clarín, for not taking you away,
crying your wakefulness,
the right you have to comfort;
how much taste there was
in complaining, a philosopher said,
that, in exchange for complaining,
there were the misfortunes of looking for each other.

1. Bucolic poetry: Fragment of "Idyll first" by Theocritus (310 BC). C - 260 a. C.)

The whispering of this pine is sweet,
Goatherd, which echoes in the fountains,
But more sweetly you flute:
After Pan, you will have second prize.

It can serve you: