The Abcs of Poetry

A is for Acrostic, where the first letter of each line spells a word B is for Burlesque, a poetic type bordering on absurd C is for Clerihew, a short and humorous verse D is for Didactic, meant to improve morals at first E is for Epithalamium, written for a groom and his bride F is for Free Verse, where the rules go and hide G is for Ghazal, with a shared rhyme and refrain H is for Haiku, getting it just right is a pain I is for Iambic Pentameter, which is the poetic beat J is for Jargon, where real and fake words do meet K is for Kwansaba, another non-rhyming form L is for Limerick, where many a giggle has been born M is for Monorhyme, the same rhyme on each line N is for Narrative, which tells a story every time O is for Ode, a lengthy, lyrical poem P is for Pastoral, describing the rural life I call home Q is for Quatrain, rhyming verses with lines that count four R is for Romanticism, think of the Romeo and Juliet score S is for Sonnet, fourteen lines with a conventional scheme T is for Tanka, first appearing on the Japanese scene U is for Unique, which every written poem wants to be V is for Villanelle, repeating lines one and three W is for Worthwhile, which I think most poems are X is for X-cellent, those poems written by stars Y is for Youngsters, who should start writing their own Z is for Zebra, my own black and white poem So pick up your pen and try your hand at these styles Included in poems makes the written word smile