The earliest poems predate the Bible, but no samples have survived. Epic, sonnet, couplet, limerick, and haiku are popular genres. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest surviving written poem. Sonnets, couplets, and limericks have specific rhyme and rhythmic patterns. Haiku originated in Japan and consists of three lines with 17 syllables.
The earliest poems ever written predate the Bible. Unfortunately, these early works were passed on by word of mouth or engraved on the bark and leaves of trees, so no samples of these poems have survived. Since then, many genres and sub-genres of poetry have evolved. Some of the most popular poetry genres are the epic, sonnet, couplet, limerick, and haiku.
An epic poem is usually a long story about a mythical and heroic figure. Some genres of poetry depend on rhyme and rhythm, while epic is often written in the form of prose. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest surviving written poem. It has been estimated that this poem was written in Sumeria between 2750 and 2500 BC. The Epic of Gilgamesh told of the adventures of an ancient king and has survived because it was written on clay tablets.
A sonnet is a rhythmic poem that rhymes at the end of each sentence and contains 14 lines. The first sonnet appeared around AD 1200. Sonnets evolved into the current standard of 14 lines after Francesco Petrarch popularized that format. Many other famous poets incorporated the sonnet form into their poetry, including Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Wordsworth, Dante Alighieri, Lord Byron, and William Shakespeare.
Couplets consist of two lines that usually end in rhyme. Sometimes several couplets are grouped together to form a stanza in a poem. William Shakespeare ended most of his sonnets with a rhyming couplet. Geoffrey Chaucer, John Dryden and Alexander Pope also produced famous works written in rhyming couplets.
The limerick appeared in the 1300s and was usually in the form of a nursery rhyme written for children. A limerick has a very tight rhyme and rhythmic pattern which has made it a popular format for humor and even lewd subjects. Limericks always have five lines. The first, second and fifth lines always rhyme, while the third and fourth lines rhyme.
William Shakespeare wrote a few limericks, but the most prolific limerick writer was Edward Lear. His Book of Nonsense, published in the 19th century, made limerick one of the most popular genres of poetry. The book was filled with humorous poems that were not indecent like many Limericks, and his poems became popular with all ages.
Haiku is the only one of the popular poetry genres that originated in Japan. This form of poetry usually doesn’t rhyme. A haiku poem consists of three short lines containing a total of 17 syllables. The first line of a haiku has exactly five syllables; the second verse, seven syllables; and the third, five syllables.
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