Lyric Poetry Examples

Lyric poetry uses song-like and emotional words to describe a moment, an object, a
feeling, or a person. Lyric poems do not necessarily tell a story but focus on the poet’s
personal attitudes and state of mind. They use sensory language to set the scene and
inspire emotions in the reader.
There are several types of poetry that one could classify as lyric poetry. They include:

 elegy - a reflective poem to honor the dead

 haiku - a seventeen-syllable poem that uses natural imagery to express an emotion
 ode - an elevated poem that pays tribute to a person, idea, place, or another
concept
 sonnet - a descriptive fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme

Narrative Poetry Examples

A narrative poem tells a story. Also known as epic poetry, narrative poetry is often set to
music as ballads. Narrative poems are usually of human interest and include epics, or
long stories.
Examples of poetry in this category include:

 allegory - a narrative poem that uses an extended metaphor to make a point

 ballad - narrative poetry set to music
 burlesque - a mock-epic poem that tells an ordinary story in a melodramatic way
 epic - a lengthy poem that tells a story of heroic adventures

Dramatic Poetry Examples

Dramatic poetry, also known as dramatic monologue, is meant to be spoken or acted.
Similar to narrative poetry, dramatic poetry tells a story. You’re most likely to find
dramatic poetry in the form of dramatic (or even comedic) monologues or soliloquies
written in a rhyming verse.
Many dramatic poems appear as:

 monologue - a speech given by one character to another, or by one character to

the audience (also known as dramatic verse when not in poetic form)
 soliloquy - a speech given by one character to himself or herself; a dramatic
representation of inner monologue