Poems come in many different forms—odes, sonnets, elegies, lyrics, haiku—but for me, none stand out quite as much as the narrative poem. When writing a poem, it can be hard to find inspiration on where to start. Narrative poems exist to tell a story, but are not confined to rigid rules like, for example, that of a haiku, which makes them much easier to write. Due to the freedom of expression narrative poems offer, they’re all unique in their own special way.
Some narrative poems, like Beowulf, are long epic poems that tell the story of a great hero. In the poem, a Geat warrior named Beowulf helps the people of Denmark by defeating a monster named Grendel that had been terrorizing them for years; along with his mother who sought to avenge him. He returns home a hero and rules his country peacefully for many years before dying honorably in battle against a dragon. Though an epic poem—one that’s thousands of lines long as well—the story of Beowulf is an amazing example of how narrative poetry can shape a story so well it no longer feels like a poem.
Other narrative poetry, like The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, tells the story of a man—or perhaps himself—mourning the loss of his wife. The man is slowly falling into insanity, hallucinating a talking raven that only says “nevermore,” and yelling at the bird when it responds to his questions with that same phrase over and over. The poem ends with the man falling deeper into insanity, never having truly got over his wife. Poe conveys a deep sorrow in The Raven that feels almost personal, perhaps telling his own story through the lens of another.
Finally, while I do adore both Beowulf and The Raven, my favorite narrative poem of all is short and sweet; only eight lines and not nearly as old but still a classic. Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost is also a narrative poem—telling a short story about the fleeting colors and wonders of nature. From the biblical reference to the rhyme scheme, with less than ten lines, Frost masterfully crafted a story that would be talked about for generations to come.
If poetry writing isn’t your forte, start by telling a story. It doesn’t need to be a long epic poem, or get philosophical about grief or nature—any story will do, just start somewhere. We all do.
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