Poetry is the genre of literature. It means composing poems in verse. This word has been derived from Greek word “Poesies” which means making or creating. It implies the meaning that poetry is the process of creating something new. So, poetry is the writing of something new in verse form. A poet is the person who creates such beautiful verse in which he can transfer his imaginations, thoughts and experiences as well. It is written with a particular rhythm, rhyme, style, meter, language and setting. It does not have any limitation of language and style.

Poetry reveals the real feelings, thoughts, imaginations, passions and sentiments of human beings. It enlightens our minds with a new source of knowledge. A writer always uses his intellectual or emotional experience to portray his meaning. These experiences come from the ordinary life. Thus, he can be sometimes aesthetic or meditative.  

Definition of Poetry by Critics and Poets: 

  • Johnson says, “Poetry is metrical composition”. 
  • Carlyle says, “Poetry is musical thoughts”. 
  • William Hazlitt says, “Poetry is the language of the imaginations and passions”.  
  • S T Coleridge says, “Poetry is the antithesis of science, having for its immediate object pleasure, not truth”. 
  • William Wordsworth says, “Poetry is the breadth and finer spirit of knowledge. Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”.  
  • Thomas Hardy says, “Poetry is emotion but into measure”.  
  • Robert Frost says, “Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat”.  
  • P B Shelley says, “Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds”.  

Types of Poetry:

1. Lyrical Poetry 

It is the kind of poetry, in which the poet is occupied with his thoughts, feelings, passions, fancies and sentiments. Lyrical Poetry is divided into following types.  

  • Ballad:- It is a simple and sentimental song or poem which expresses the feelings of love and war. 
  • Ode:- A song which describes poet’s noble sentiments and sad tone. 
  • Sacred Lyrics:- These poems are called Hymns. 
  • Sonnet:- It is a verse form of Italian origin, consisting of 14 lines.   

2. Descriptive Poetry 

In this type of poetry, a poet depicts his emotions about scenery, places and natural phenomenon. It is written in subjective point of view. Subjective point of view means that the poet describes the subject matter of the poem according to his own taste, feelings, emotions, and thoughts.  

Descriptive Poetry is divided into following types. 

  • Pastoral Poetry:- It portrays the occupation of shepherds in a highly idealized manner. 
  • Eclogue:- A poem in which shepherds are introduced conversing with each other.  

3. Narrative Poetry 

Narrative Poetry deals with the narration of incidents in poetic style. The other forms of narrative poetry are.  

  • Epic:- The epic is a long narrative poem in which some character reveal the historical events, themes and plot. It has grand theme with complex actions in an elevated style.  
  • Tales:- These are short narrative poems, deal with personal and domestic interests with common subject.  
  • Romance:- It is a wonderful and adventurous tale of love.  
  • Chronicle Poems:- In these poems, historical incidents are written in verse form. This is an earlier form of poetry.  

4. Dramatic Poetry 

It is a poetry, which has dramatic character, wherein the poet merges himself in character. Dramatic Poetry is divided into three types. 

  • Dramatic Lyric:- In this poem, the feelings and sentiments of the speaker are given by the poet. In fact, the poet becomes the speaker of the poem.  
  • Dramatic Story:- This poem is composed in dialogue in which someone’s story is revealed.  
  • Dramatic Monologue:- A verse form in which a speaker expresses his thoughts and feelings. In this poem, the speaker speaks in himself or to himself in a meditative manner.  

5. Humorous Poetry

It expresses the humorous nature of the poet. It is divided into 2 types.  

  • Parody:- A composition in which the characteristics of an author or writer are imitated. 
  • Burlesque:- A poem in which poet presents a mean subject in the grand style.  

6. Didactic Poetry 

This type of poetry makes the readers sensible. It provokes various thoughts in its readers. It teaches some moral lesson. Here are some types of Didactic poetry. 

  • Satiric:- The satiric poem is a type of verse in which the idea of the poet is to hold up somebody or something to ridicule and scorn the vices and faults of some person.  
  • Allegorical:-  In this kind of poetry, the characters and incidents represent figuratively another subject. These stand for something which has deep thinking and meaning.