Meters & Rhythms

  Ballad A ballad is a type of narrative poem or song that tells a story, often of a romantic, sentimental or adventurous nature. The purpose of ballads is to tell a tale in a memorable fashion. Who is not familiar with the charming altruistic Robin Hood? If songs from the 14th century hadn't preserved the story of him in a ballad form, one may not have known about him. Lithe and listen, gentleman, That be of freeborn blood; I shall you tell of a good yeoman, His name was Robin Hood. (A Gest of Robyn Hode,  ed. Francis James Child). Although the term was made popular by British and Irish bards, it really comes from the mediaeval French  Chanson balladée , which means "dance songs." It is easy to hear the similarities between the rhythm and structure of this style and contemporary music. The structure of a ballad is in any length, usually written in quatrains. The meter is traditional, written in alternating lines of iambic tetrameter (eight syllables) and iambic trimeter

  Haiku Sonnets, Haiku, Ballads, Epics, Limericks, Elegy, Idyll, Narratives, Blank verse, Odes, Sestina, Rhyming couplets, Free verse, Tanka, Acrostic, Lyric, Villanelle,, Satire, Epigram, Fable, Tribal, Didactic, Pastoral, Renga, Cinquain, Prose poetry, Shape poem, Blues poetry, Luc Bat, Monoku, Clerihew, Found poem, List poem, Object poem, Imitation, Ghazal, Sher-o-Shayri and many other types of poetry are the categories of verse a hard-wired aficionado poet comes across. Every type of poetry has a distinctive structure and set of qualities, but they all share a dedication to the craft of language and a reverence for the expressive power of words. Even though it has been a part of human society for thousands of years, poetry is still a dynamic and alive art form that captivates and inspires us today for the sheer magic that the words conjure up. Let us take a look at one of the beautiful formats of poetry that has its origin in Japan, known as  Haiku , which, because of its simple fo

  Poetry: Not Everyone's Cup of Tea. (Part 1) Poetry is a literary form that employs language to elicit intense sensory experiences, communicate complicated ideas, and elicit emotional reactions through the use of skillfully chosen words, cadence, and images. It is frequently distinguished by using similes, analogies, and other symbolic languages, as well as literary techniques like alliteration, rhyme, and meter. Poetry is what a poet does. A lyricist creates poetry. Since only humans can write poetry, a poet must possess a certain set of personal qualities. This is because poetry is fundamentally an art form that seeks to explore and communicate human experiences, feelings, and viewpoints. Poets use language in an aesthetically appealing and cognitively stimulating manner to convey their thoughts, emotions, and insights. Poets are able to elicit strong emotions from their audience and communicate their thoughts and feelings in a way that is both unique and enduring through