Poetry Forms List

Sonnet: A 14-line poem with a strict rhyme scheme and usually written in iambic pentameter. There are
two main types of sonnets: the Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet and the Shakespearean (or English)
sonnet.

Haiku: A traditional Japanese form of poetry consisting of three lines. The first and third lines have five
syllables, while the second line has seven syllables.

Villanelle: A 19-line poem consisting of five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a final quatrain (four-line
stanza). The first and third lines of the first tercet are repeated alternately in the following stanzas, and
both lines are used again in the final quatrain.

Ghazal: A form of poetry from Arabic and Persian literature consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain,
with each couplet sharing the same rhyme and meter. The last couplet usually includes the poet's
signature.

Ode: A poem that celebrates a person, place, thing, or idea. Odes often have stanzas of varying lengths
and meters, and may include a refrain.

Ballad: A narrative poem that tells a story. Ballads often have a simple rhyme scheme and a consistent
meter, and are often set to music.

Free Verse: A form of poetry that doesn't follow any specific rules or structures. Free verse poetry can
vary in line length, stanza length, meter, and rhyme scheme.

Acrostic: A poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word or phrase when read vertically.

Sestina: A 39-line poem consisting of six sestets (six-line stanzas) and a final tercet (three-line stanza).
The same six end-words are repeated throughout the poem in a specific pattern.
Pantoum: A form of poetry consisting of a series of quatrains (four-line stanzas) in which the second and
fourth lines of each stanza are repeated as the first and third lines of the next stanza.

Tanka: A Japanese form of poetry consisting of 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern. Similar to haiku, but
with two additional lines.

Rondeau: A French form of poetry consisting of 13 lines in three stanzas. The first line of the first stanza
is repeated as the fourth and last lines of the second and third stanzas. There is also a refrain at the end
of the second and third stanzas.

Triolet: A form of poetry consisting of eight lines in which the first, fourth, and seventh lines are the
same, and the second and eighth lines are also the same.

Concrete poetry: A type of poetry that uses visual elements to create meaning, often by arranging words
or letters on the page in a specific way.

Epigram: A short, witty poem that often contains a clever or surprising turn of phrase.

Terza Rima: An Italian form of poetry consisting of three-line stanzas (tercets) in which the second line of
each stanza rhymes with the first and third lines of the next stanza.

Blank Verse: A form of poetry that uses unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter.

Cinquain: A five-line poem with a specific syllable count for each line (2-4-6-8-2).

Prose poetry: A type of poetry that is written in prose instead of verse, but still contains poetic elements
such as rhythm and imagery.
Glosa: A form of poetry that uses a quotation from an existing poem as the basis for a new poem. Each
line of the original quotation is followed by a stanza that expands upon or responds to the line.

Pantun: A form of poetry from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries. It consists of
rhymed quatrains, with lines two and four being repeated as the first and third lines of the following
quatrain.

Renga: A form of Japanese collaborative poetry, in which multiple poets take turns composing stanzas
that link together to form a longer poem.

Epitaph: A short poem that is often inscribed on a tombstone or memorial stone, in honor of a deceased
person.

Sijo: A Korean form of poetry consisting of three lines, with a specific syllable count (14-16 syllables per
line) and a pause or break in the middle of each line.

Villanelle: A 19-line poem consisting of five tercets and a final quatrain. The first and third lines of the
first tercet are repeated alternately in the following stanzas, and both lines are used again in the final
quatrain.

Palindrome: A poem that reads the same forwards and backwards.

Double Dactyl: A form of poetry consisting of two quatrains with a specific rhythm and a set of rules for
the second line of the poem.

Elegy: A mournful poem that laments the loss of someone or something.

Sapphic: A Greek form of poetry consisting of three stanzas, with a specific syllable count and rhyme
scheme.
Calligram: A poem in which the words or letters are arranged on the page to create a visual image
related to the poem's theme or subject.

Limerick: A five-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and rhythm, often humorous in tone.

Tritina: A form of poetry consisting of three tercets and a final line, in which the last words of each
tercet are repeated in a specific pattern.

Cento: A form of poetry that uses lines from other poems to create a new poem.

Virelai: A French form of poetry consisting of stanzas with a specific rhyme scheme and refrain.

Ghazal: A form of poetry from Arabic and Persian literature consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain,
with each couplet sharing the same rhyme and meter. The last couplet usually includes the poet's
signature.

Crown of Sonnets: A sequence of sonnets in which the last line of each sonnet is repeated as the first
line of the next sonnet, and the last sonnet ends with the first line of the first sonnet.

Canto: A long, narrative poem divided into sections or chapters.

Ekphrastic Poetry: Poetry that describes or responds to a visual work of art.

Pantun: A form of poetry from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries. It consists of
rhymed quatrains, with lines two and four being repeated as the first and third lines of the following
quatrain.
Sestina: A 39-line poem consisting of six sestets and a final tercet, in which the same six end-words are
repeated throughout the poem in a specific pattern.

Triolet: A form of poetry consisting of eight lines in which the first, fourth, and seventh lines are the
same, and the second and eighth lines are also the same.

Haibun: A form of poetry that combines prose and haiku. The prose section provides a narrative or
description, while the haiku provides a brief, contemplative moment.

Rubaiyat: A form of poetry consisting of quatrains with a specific rhyme scheme.

Septet: A seven-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter.

Syllabic Verse: A form of poetry in which the number of syllables per line is predetermined.

Horatian Ode: A type of ode that has a more informal and conversational tone, named after the Roman
poet Horace.

Irregular Ode: An ode that doesn't follow any specific rules or structures.

Parallelismus Membrorum: A type of poetry that repeats a grammatical structure in successive lines or
phrases.

Mnemonic Verse: A form of poetry that uses rhyme and rhythm to aid in memory and recall.

Paradelle: A form of poetry that uses repetition and variation to create a new poem from two existing
poems.
Pastoral: A type of poetry that idealizes rural life and the beauty of nature.

Macaronic Verse: A form of poetry that combines two or more languages or dialects in a single poem.