256 Poetic Forms (Ancient, Classic & Modern)

Over the majority of the years of my life I have studied and read poetry of all kinds and by all sorts of poets. With the use of my notes, my library of poetry books, and the Internet, I have researched and studied these 256 poetic forms. Some would argue that forms are binding and so they are, but what they produce is often far more than we might produce on our own. And the practice in forms only serves to heighten one's abilities to express one's self in verse, living, vibrant verse.

There are more than these out there, and if any of you should find one please be so kind as to pass it on to me. I would be most interested in studying the form. Also, one will note that my list contains foreign (non English) forms as well. As I am lingually challenged (speak English only), I work with foreign texts in English translation.

Well, enjoy and see how many you recognize:



256 Poetic Forms (Ancient, Classic & Modern)

ABC, Abecedarian, Abhang, Accentual, Acrostic, Alfred Dorn Sonnet, Aubade, Australian Sonnet, Awdl, Balanced Sonnet, Balassi Stanza, Ballad, Ballad Stanza, Ballade, Ballade Royal, Ballade Supreme, Biblical Free Verse, Bio, Blank Sonnet, Blank Verse, Blues Sonnet, Bref Double, Brisbane Sonnet, Burlesque, Burns Stanza, Canzone, Canzonetta, Carpe Diem, Catena Rondo, Caudate Sonnet, Cavatina, Cento, Chant Royal, Chastushka, Chaucerian Roundel, Choka, Cinquain, Classicism, Clerihew, Common Measure, Common Octave, Cornish Sonnet, Couplet, Crown of Sonnets, Curtal Sonnet, Cyhydedd Sonnet, Dansa, Decastitch, Decuain, Deibhidhe (Deibide), Diamante, Didactic, Dizain, Dodoitsu, Domino Rhyme, Double Sestina, Dramatic Monologue, Echo Sonnet, Elegy, Etheree, English Quintain, English Sestet, English (or Shakespearian) Sonnet, Englyn, Envelope Couplet, Envelope Stanza, Envelope Quintet, Envelope Sonnet, Epic, Epigram, Epistle, Epitaph, Epithalamium, Fable, Fourteener, Free Verse, French Sonnet, Ghazal, Glosa/Glose, Goethe Stanza, Gothic, Go Vat, Haibun, Haiga, Haiku, Half Measure, Hebrew Verse, Heroic Couplet, Hir a Thoddaid, Horatian Ode, Huitain, Hymnal Measure, Hymnal Octave, Idyll (Idyl), Imagist Free Verse, Interlocking Rubaiyat, Irregular (Pseudo-Pindaric or Cowleyan) Ode, Italian Octave, Italian Quatrain, Italian Sestet, Italian (or Petrarchan) Sonnet, Katuata, Keats Sonnet, Kyrielle, Kyrielle Sonnet, Lai (Lay), Lanturne, Leonine Verse, Limerick, List, Long Measure, Luc Bat, Lyric, Mathnawi, Memoriam Stanza, Minute Poetry, Mirrored Refrain, Mock Epic, Monchielle Stanza, Mondo, Monody, Monorhyme, Moment, Monotetra, Naani, Name, Narrative, Newman Sestina, Nocturne, Nonet, Novelinee, Octave, Ode, Ottava Rima, Palindrome, Pantoum, Pantoum Sonnet, Pastoral, Pathya Vat, Pentastich, Performance, Petrarchan Sonnet, Pindaric Ode, Pleiadic/Pleiades, Podic Free Verse, Prose Villanelle, Puskin Sonnet, Quad, Quartina, Quatern, Quatorzain, Quatrain, Question, Quinzaine, Redondilla, Rhopalics, Rhyme, Rhyme Royal, Rhymed Sestina, Rictameter, Rispetto, Rimas Dissolutas, Rime Couee, Rime Royal, Rime Royal Sonnet, Romanticism, Rondeau, Rondeau Redouble, Rondel, Rondel Prime (Supreme), Rondelet, Rondine, Rondo, Ronsardian Ode, Ropalic, Rosarian Sonnet, Roundel, Roundelay, Rubaiyat, Rubliw, Sapphic Stanza, Saraband, Scupham Sonnet, Sedoka, Senryu, Septet, Septilla, Septolet, Sestet Couplets, Sestina (Sextain), Shadorma, Shairi (Georgian), Shairi (Swahili), Shape, Short Measure, Sicilian Octave, Sicilian Quatrain, Sicilian Quintain, Sicilian Septet, Sicilian Sestet, Sicilian (or Spanish) Sonnet, Sijo, Sonnet, Sonnetina Cinque, Sonnetina Due, Sonnetina Tre, Sonnetina uno, Sonnetina Quatro, Sonnet Redouble, Soun, Spanish Quintain (Quintilla), Spanish Septet, Spanish Sestet, Song That Luc Bat, Song That Luc Bat Sonnet, Spenserian Sonnet, Spenserian Stanza, Standard Habbie, Stanzaic, Stave Stanza, Stichic, Strambotto Romagnuolo, Strambotto Siciliano, Strambotto Toscano, Tanka, Tendi/Tenzi, Terza Rima, Terza Rima Sonnet, Terzanelle, Tetractys, Than-Bauk, Trijan Refrain, Triolet, Triolet Sonnet, Tritina, Triversen, Tyburn, Un-wreathed Octave, Un-wreathed Quatrain, Un-wreathed Sestet, Un-wreathed Sonnet, Urjuzah, Utendi/Utenzi, Villancico, Villanelle, Virelai, Virelai Ancien, Virelai Nouveau, Virelai Post-Modern, Wayra, Wordsworth Sestet, Wreathed Sestet, Wreathed Octave, Wreathed Quatrain, Wreathed Sestet, Wreathed Sonnet, Ya Du, ZaniLa, and Zejel.

Hey, you made it! As you may have already noted the list is not yet complete, but it is comprehensive and a good tool for exploring the Art of Poetry. So I thought I might offer it to those who might be interested. Thanks for checking it out. Technically I have here a List Poem that is a list of poetic forms.

Again, if you find a form not listed above, please send it my way. Thanks.

Mike

Phew!!!........ You're a madman Mike- But I like you
Would love to find one to challenge you, but i doubt there's any styles left to conquer..

Most often just a little mad, perhaps. But I'm doing what I can to make the most of it. So, thank you very much for your comments. I know I have a good many of the old Celtic forms to add, and some more Oriental forms as well. I have little doubt that I will find more as I keep searching. Thanks again. Mike