Poetry Writing Lessons

Support the development of the traits of good writing and help raise the standards for writing with direct instruction on 11 types of poetry. Our poetry writing lessons include detailed instructions for teachers, and examples of each poetry type with scaffolded writing worksheets for students.

Acrostic

Acrostic poetry uses letters to form a name, word, or message when read vertically. Each letter begins a word or phrase that tells more about the poem's subject.
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Choral Poetry

Choral poetry is generally short, designed to be read aloud in unison by two or more people in a group setting, and written to express feelings, opinions, points of view, etc.
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Cinquain

True cinquain poetry is written using five non-rhyming lines that contain 22 syllables in a predictable syllable pattern (2-4-6-8-2).
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Clerihew

Clerihew poems are fun and whimsical four-line poems with rhyming couplets about somebody who is named in the verse. They feature an a-a-b-b pattern.
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Diamante

The diamante is a seven-line poem in which the words form the shape of a diamond, or parallelogram, and contrast two opposing sides of a topic.
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Free Verse

Free verse poetry is free from the normal rules of poetry. The main object of free verse is to use colorful words, punctuation, and word placement to convey meaning to the reader.
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Haiku

Haiku poems are generally written to describe nature and do not rhyme. The most widely recognized form consists of a three-line stanza that has a total of 17 syllables in a pattern of 5-7-5.
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Limerick

A limerick is a humorous, and often nonsensical, five-line poem with a rhyming pattern of a-a-b-b-a. Limericks often begin with the words: There once was. . . or There was a. . .
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Rap

Rap is written to be spoken in a rhythmic manner; usually with the accompaniment of percussion sounds or music. Rap often expresses an opinion or point of view about socially-charged topics.
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Tanka

Tanka is a Japanese poetry style that was originally written to mark a special occasion or moment. Tanka traditionally contained five lines and 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 fixed pattern.
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Triangle Triplet

A triangle triplet is written by arranging three rhyming sentences or phrases along the three sides of a triangle. The poem can be read from any point on the triangle.
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