A History of Poetry
Poetry dates back to very early BC. The oldest poem that has been found is from 3000 BC and is called the Epic of Gilgamesh. It was written on cuneiform script located on clay tablets before it was transcripted to papyrus. The Indian Vedas (1700-1200 BC) was one of the very first works of literature to be categorized as a form of poetry. Zoroaster’s Gathas (1200-900 BC) and The Odyssey (800-675 BC) followed the same rhythms and soon became noted poems of history as well. For many historical cultures, poetry appears to be among the records of civilizations that were literate. Many different styles of writing have been found and on different artifacts as well, such as rune stones, stelae and monoliths.
Throughout history, many attempts have been made to find out how poetry works and how it should be defined. In poetry, researchers and professionals use words in drama, comedy and song as a way to discover the mystery of poetry. Repetition, verse form and rhyme are typically used in poetry as well, which many poets throughout history have become so very famous for. During the 20th century, poetry was categorized as a fundamental creative act that uses language.
There are four basics when it comes to poetry that every poem should have.
- Rhyme
- Alliteration
- Assonance
- Consonance
Poetry is typically used as a way to express the way one could feel or the way one is feeling in their life. For many people, poetry is a bit confusing and can be very “deep” and hard to understand as a whole.
There are several different styles of poems out there and many poets have made each of them famous throughout history.
Styles of Poems
- Sonnet
- Jintishi
- Sestina
- Villanelle
- Pantoum
- Rondeau
- Tanka
- Haiku
- Ruba’i
- Sijo
- Ode
- Ghazal
- Acrostic
- Canzone
- Cinquain
Along with poem styles, there are also genres within poetry.
Genres of Poetry
- Epic Poetry
- Lyric Poetry
- Narrative Poetry
- Dramatic Poetry
- Greek Tragedy Poetry
- Satirical Poetry
- Elegy Poetry
- Verse Fable Poetry
- Prose Poetry
Throughout the history of poetry, there have been so many great poets who have written hundreds of poems. Here is a list of some of the greatest poets who have lived and shared their poems with the world.
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
- Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)
- Robert Browning (1812-1889)
- Emily Dickenson (1830-1886)
- T.S. Elliot (1888-1965)
- Robert Frost (1874-1963)
- Shel Silverstein (1930-1999)
- Sylvia Plath (1932-1963)