名人教英文：types of english poetrye
the word poetry has its origin in the greek word poiesis which means "making". poetry is the aesthetic (美学的) way of making words into an art form. many of such art forms are handed down from the past by oral tradition.
there are different types and styles of english poetry to suit different occasions and purposes. by a rough count, there are at least fifty types of english poetry.
some poems are serious: on life and death, love and rejection, hope and despair (绝望); immortality (不朽) and heroic acts. others are light-hearted, written for laughter and fun.
this article starts the new year series on poetry appreciation by presenting an overview of the main types of poetry, listed in alphabetical order below.
ballads 民谣
each ballad tells a self-contained story, set in 4-line stanzas. it often repeats certain parts of the song — known as refrains (副歌).
many modern ballads are written in the form of songs and set to music. modern ballads in rhyming couplets include pop, rap and other lyrical poetic creations. lyrical poems are poems that are characterised by personal feelings and brevity (简炼).
blank verse 无韵诗
in its simplistic form, a blank verse is poetry without rhyme but in rhythmic iambic pentameter (五音步诗行).
it is said that "blank verse is the most powerful and influential form of english poetry". for example, many quotes in blank verse are from shakespeare's plays.
couplets 双韵诗 / tercets 三行押韵诗
a couplet usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same poetic feet. (tercets are three-line stanzas.)
couplets are used for any type of poem. they can be a single stanza couplet, or they can be used to end a poem. sonnets and odes often end with a rhyming couplet.
doggerel 打油诗/劣诗
a doggerel is a poem seen as of little value. it contains clichés and has a topic of no significance. some are written as fun-verse.
limericks 五行打油诗
limericks are short, bawdy five-line verses. some limericks dating back to the 12th century are recited or sung in pubs or bars.
epic 史诗/叙事诗
an epic is a long story poem in formal narrative language. it is a poem about a serious subject, describing historical events of high adventure, and godly characters, with heroic deeds.
ode 颂歌
an ode is a lyrical poem written in rhyming patterns of abab, cdcd, ee (or their variants) in praise of some inspiring topic of the poet's choice.
sonnets 十四行诗
a sonnet is a poem of 14 lines with rhyming patterns which usually end in a couplet.
sonnets usually have rhyming schemes: abab, cdcd, efef, gg, and their variants.
vers libre (free verse) 自由体诗 and modern variations
modern poetry has variations which challenge the accepted form of rhyme and rhythm. many modern poets do not adhere to the traditional form and invent their own style in poetry.
as the name suggests, vers libre (free verse) is a form of poetry that has no consistent rhyme or rhythm. free verse is also found in ancient chants and song. if one reads psalms, dating back to the well known king james' bible, one can find psalms written in vers libre.
passage of the week
impromptu (1)
a palindromic poem (2)
scented green paths in floral fragrance,
glorious petals reflecting heroic trees,
returning visions of twilight glowing,
hong kong new with blessings and love flowing,
seagulls flying over white waves foaming,
waters green in songs intoxicating.
★this is a translation of the palindromic poem (回诗) below by a famous chinese poet and calligraphist (书法家), liang xiao ping, at her demonstration and exhibition in hong kong in december 2012.
梁小萍撰并书︰《即席挥毫》
香扶绿径，露映彤英，归来看取红霞晚
港动新颿，鸥飞白浪，醉卧歌吟碧水流。
footnotes 批注
1. impromptu is a french word to mean improvisation
即兴创作、即席挥毫
2. palindrome:
a "palindromic poem" is a particular genre of poetry, not commonly found in the english language, but popular in chinese, korean, japanese and other asian cultures.
"palindrommos" is a greek word to mean running backwards. palindrome is a type of poem which can be read backwards with words read in the same order but in reverse.