Folk poetry
Folk poetry is poetry that is part of a society's folklore, usually part of their oral tradition. When sung, folk poetry becomes a folk song.
Description
Folk poetry in general has several characteristics. It may be informal and unofficial, generally lacks an owner and may "belong" to the society, and its telling may be an implicitly social activity. The term can refer to poems of an oral tradition that may date back many years; that is, it is information that has been transmitted over time only in spoken form. Thus as an oral tradition folk poetry requires a performer to promulgate it over generations.The definition can also be extended to include not just oral epics, but latrinalia, many forms of childlore, and limericks; as well as including anonymous or improvised poems.
Narrative folk poetry is often characterized by repetition, a focus on a single event, and an impersonal narration, as well as use of exaggeration and contrast.
It is thought that epics such as The Iliad, and The Odyssey derive from, or are modeled on earlier folk-poetry forms.
Forms and works
Regional or societal forms
- Landay, Afghan single couplet poems
- Zajal, Arab folk poetry form
- Bylina, east Slavic oral epic narratives
- Pantun, Malay poetic form
- Ebyevugo, Ugandan poetic form
Collections
- Classic of Poetry, ancient Chinese collection of folk poetry
- Reliques of Ancient English Poetry collected by Bishop Thomas Percy
- Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, collected by Walter Scott.
- Danmarks gamle Folkeviser, collection of Danish ballads.
Derivative works