Lyric poetry

Lyric poetry is a form of poetry that does not attempt to tell a story, as do epic poetry and dramatic poetry. Rather than portraying characters and actions, the lyric poet addresses the reader directly, portraying his or her own feelings, states of mind, and perceptions.

Rhyme and alliteration

These two elements are common to structuring lyric poetry in the Western tradition and make poetry difficult to translate effectively. Old Norse poetry depended heavily on alliteration. Continental Europe and England developed complex rhyme schemes and used alliteration as an auxiliary device.

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Although to the lay ear, rhyme is the hallmark of poetry, it has become less and less common in the twentieth century.

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