15 Types of Poems Every Poetry Lover Should Try Writing

Poetry is one of the most beautiful and powerful ways to express emotions, whether about people, nature, or life itself. From joy to sorrow, no one captures emotions more gracefully than a poet.

Poetry has been around for nearly four thousand years, passed down through generations as a special way to express feelings and ideas. From the ancient Greeks and Romans, it remains an important part of art and culture.

Every year, the United States Library of Congress appoints a Poet Laureate to honor and represent the art of poetry in America. Poets like William Shakespeare and Maya Angelou have created works that continue to be read and recited for generations.

If you love poetry, this article is for you. In this guide, you’ll explore 15 main types of poetry, each with examples to inspire your own creativity.

What are the different types of poems?

Poetry comes in many forms, each with its own structure and style. Some follow strict patterns, while others offer complete creative freedom. The way a poem is structured can shape its meaning, rhythm, and emotional impact.

For those who enjoy reading and writing poetry, AI-powered tools make it easy to create a poem, whether it's a haiku, sonnet, or free verse.

These types of poetry rely on repetition and specific rhyme schemes, which makes them both challenging and rewarding to write. They require careful word choice and arrangement, often resulting in intricate and layered meanings.

On the other hand, some poets prefer a more open style that allows flexibility in structure and rhythm. Free verse, lyrical poetry, and occasional poetry remove the constraints of rhyme and pattern. They give the writer freedom to express emotions and ideas in a natural flow.

Here are some of the most well-known types of poetry.

1. Haiku

Haiku is a short form of poetry that originated in Japan. It focuses on nature, seasons, or daily life.

This type of poetry comes from an old Japanese style called renga, where poets took turns writing different sections of a poem. Over time, the first part of renga, called hokku, became a separate form. In the 17th century, a poet named Matsuo Bashō helped make haiku popular. 

A traditional haiku has three lines with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. The first line has five syllables, the second has seven, and the last has five.

Over time, haiku has spread beyond Japan, and poets in different countries have put their own spin on it. Some still follow the traditional 5-7-5 structure, while others focus more on the meaning rather than the syllable count.

If you enjoy reading haiku you should try writing, a haiku tool can help you with this and generate creative ideas based on traditional themes.

2. Acrostic

An acrostic poem is a unique style of poetry where the first letter of each line, when read vertically, spells out a word or message.

The origin of acrostic poetry dates back to ancient times. The Greeks and Romans used it in their writings, and it also appeared in early religious texts.

The pattern of an acrostic poem is straightforward. Each line must begin with a letter from the chosen word, and the content of the line should relate to the theme. Unlike other forms of poetry, acrostic poems do not have strict rules about rhyme or rhythm.

Creating an acrostic poem can be fun and meaningful. If you're looking for an easy way to generate one, an acrostic writer can provide structured assistance.

One of the most famous acrostic poems comes from Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

In his poem A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky, the first letters of each line spell out "Alice Pleasance Liddell," the name of the real girl who inspired Alice in Wonderland. This hidden message adds an extra layer of meaning to the poem.

3. Limerick

A limerick is a short, humorous poem with a strong rhythm and a specific rhyme scheme. It has five lines, with the first, second, and fifth lines rhyming with each other, while the third and fourth lines form a separate rhyme. The usual rhyme pattern is AABBA.

This type of poem is believed to have originated in Ireland, though its exact history is unclear.

The form became well-known in the 19th century, thanks to English poet Edward Lear, who wrote many limericks in his famous Book of Nonsense. His work helped popularize this style and made it a favorite for lighthearted poetry.

Limericks follow a set rhythm called anapestic meter, meaning each line has a pattern of two short syllables followed by a stressed one.

4. Sonnet

A sonnet is a 14-line poem that follows a set pattern. It started in Italy in the 13th century and became famous through Petrarch. Later, Shakespeare popularized it in England.

There are two main types: the Petrarchan sonnet, which has an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), and the Shakespearean sonnet, which has three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two lines).

The Petrarchan sonnet presents a problem in the first part and a solution in the second, while the Shakespearean sonnet follows an ABABCDCDEFEFGG rhyme scheme. 

Sonnets are written in iambic pentameter, meaning each line has ten syllables with alternating stresses. Writing a sonnet requires careful attention to structure and rhyme. If you need guidance, an online sonnet generator can assist in crafting a well-formed 14-line poem.

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?") is one of the most well-known examples.

5. Free verse

Free verse is a type of poetry that does not follow a fixed rhyme scheme or meter. Unlike traditional forms, it gives poets the freedom to write different poems in a way that feels natural, without worrying about patterns or rules. This makes it one of the most flexible and expressive forms of poetry.

Free verse became popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, with poets like Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot, and Langston Hughes using it to break away from structured poetry. It focuses on rhythm, imagery, and the flow of words rather than strict rules. 

Since there are no restrictions, free verse can vary greatly in length and structure. Some poems may have long, flowing lines, while others may use short, sharp phrases to create impact. Poets mostly use natural speech patterns to make their writing feel more personal and direct.

Though it has no set rules, free verse still requires careful word choice and structure to create meaning and emotion.

6. Villanelle

A villanelle is a 19-line poem with a fixed pattern of repetition and rhyme. It has five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by a quatrain (four-line stanza). The rhyme scheme follows ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA, creating a musical flow.

What makes a villanelle unique is its repeating lines—the first and third lines of the poem alternate as the last lines of each tercet and come together in the final quatrain. This repetition builds emphasis and makes villanelles ideal for expressing strong emotions or lingering thoughts.

One of the most famous examples is Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas. Though the form originated in France, poets across different languages and eras have embraced it for its rhythm and power.

7. Ode

An ode is a type of poem that expresses deep admiration or appreciation for a person, object, idea, or event. It comes from ancient Greece, where poets like Pindar wrote odes to celebrate athletes and important figures.

Traditional odes follow a specific structure, written in three parts: the strophe, antistrophe, and epode.

There are three main types of odes: Pindaric, Horatian, and Irregular. Pindaric odes are formal and have a grand tone, used for public praise. Horatian odes are more personal, with a calmer and more meditative feel. Irregular odes break traditional rules and allow poets to create their own patterns while still keeping the tone of admiration.

One of the most famous odes is "Ode to a Nightingale" by John Keats, where he reflects on beauty, nature, and the passage of time.

8. Elegy

An elegy is a poem that expresses sorrow, usually written to remember someone who has passed away. It reflects on loss, mourning, and sometimes even hope or acceptance.

The word “elegy” comes from the Greek word elegeia, which originally referred to poetry written in couplets on various themes, not just death. Over time, the meaning narrowed, and elegies became known as poems of mourning.

Some elegies use a formal rhyme scheme and meter, but many modern ones are written in free verse, allowing for more personal expression.

Elegies have been written for centuries. One of the most famous examples is "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray, which reflects on death and the passage of time. 

9. Epic

An epic is a long, narrative poem that tells the story of heroic deeds and extraordinary events. It often follows a central hero who embarks on a journey, faces great challenges, and overcomes obstacles with courage and strength.

Epic poems are usually divided into books or cantos. They include extended similes, also known as Homeric similes, which compare heroic actions to everyday events, adding depth to the story.

Famous examples of epic poetry include Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, which tell the stories of the Trojan War and Odysseus’s journey home. In English literature, John Milton’s Paradise Lost explores the fall of man and the battle between heaven and hell.

10. Ballad

A ballad is a poem that tells a story and was originally passed down through oral tradition before being written. Many early ballads were about love, adventure, or tragedy, making them easy to remember and share.

They usually follow a simple structure, written in quatrains (four-line stanzas) with an ABAB or ABCB rhyme scheme. The lines often have eight and six syllables, creating a steady rhythm, and some include a refrain, a repeated line or stanza that adds to the flow.

Famous ballads include "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Coleridge and "La Belle Dame sans Merci" by Keats, while many folk songs also follow this style. Even today, ballads influence poetry and music, keeping their storytelling tradition alive.

11. Sestina

A sestina is a poem with a special pattern of word repetition instead of rhyme. It has six stanzas, each with six lines. The same six words appear at the end of the lines in every stanza but in a different order.

The sestina dates back to the 12th century and was first used by Arnaut Daniel, a troubadour from medieval France. 

The pattern of a sestina follows a strict sequence. The six words at the end of each line in the first stanza must be rearranged in a set order in the following stanzas. This order is 6-1-5-2-4-3 for the second stanza and continues in a similar way until the end.

In the final three-line stanza, called the envoi, all six words appear again, bringing the poem to a strong conclusion.

Writing a sestina can be a challenge, but it also allows poets to play with language and explore different ways to express an idea.

12. Petrarchan

The Petrarchan sonnet, also called the Italian sonnet, is a type of poem that follows a specific structure. It was named after the Italian poet Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch), who popularized this form in the 14th century.

This sonnet has 14 lines, divided into two parts: an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). The octave usually follows the ABBAABBA rhyme scheme and introduces a problem or idea.

A key feature of the Petrarchan sonnet is the "volta", or shift in tone, which happens between the octave and sestet. This change in direction makes the poem feel natural and meaningful. Poets like John Milton and Elizabeth Barrett Browning used this form to express deep emotions and complex thoughts.

13. Couplet

A couplet is a pair of lines in poetry that usually rhyme and have the same rhythm. It is one of the simplest and oldest forms of poetry, found in many cultures and languages. Each line in a couplet often has the same length and follows a specific meter, like iambic pentameter in English poetry.

Couplets can stand alone as complete poems or be part of a larger work. They are commonly used in sonnets, epics, and plays. William Shakespeare mostly used couplets at the end of his scenes to signal a conclusion.

There are different types of couplets. A closed couplet contains a complete thought within two lines, while an open couplet continues its meaning into the next line. A heroic couplet consists of two rhyming lines in iambic pentameter, used in classical poetry.

14. Narrative

A narrative is a type of writing that tells a story. It has a clear beginning, middle, and end, following a sequence of events. Narratives can be found in poetry, fiction, and even nonfiction, where they bring experiences to life.

The pattern of a narrative usually includes characters, a setting, a conflict, and a resolution. The story may be told from a first-person perspective, where the narrator is part of the story, or a third-person perspective, where the narrator observes the events.

Famous examples include The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 

15. Concrete poetry

Concrete poetry, also called shape poetry, is a type of poem where the arrangement of words forms a shape related to the poem’s meaning. Instead of just focusing on rhythm and rhyme, it uses space and layout to create a visual effect.

This type of poetry can take many shapes, such as a heart for a love poem or a tree for a poem about nature. Poets experiment with spacing, line breaks, and letter positioning to bring their ideas to life.

It has been around for centuries, with examples found in ancient Greek and Latin texts. In modern times, poets use this style to mix writing with visual art, creating poems that are both readable and expressive in their shape and structure.

Conclusion

This article explains 15 types of poems, from structured forms like sonnets and villanelles to flexible ones like free verse. It highlights how rhyme, rhythm, and repetition shape meaning in poetry. If you’re struggling to find the perfect rhyme, a rhyming generator by Fueon can suggest words that fit your poem’s flow.

Some forms require strict patterns, while others focus on emotions and personal expression. The article encourages trying different styles to find what feels natural, showing poetry as both creative and structured.