Like everything else throughout history, the poetic art form has continually changed to shape and reflect public themes and topics. Arguably the earliest literary form in Western civilization, poetry is still evolving to represent modern interests. In the past century, new styles of poems have emerged to capture readers' attention through social commentary and new voices.

Themes

In the previous century, European and U.S. poetry reflected imaginary tales of ancient times as well as pastoral themes centered on nature and simple living. But the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw a distinct change in poets' perception with the preponderance of poems written about realism and industrialization. The first half of the twentieth century included poetry that grew out of our wartime experiences, expressing both patriotism and criticism. The later twentieth-century poets focused on loneliness, isolation, and social upheaval as literati began to question traditional norms and values.

Conventions

Although longstanding poetic forms like the ballad and narrative poem continued to be published, additional forms became more popularized. The villanelle, for example, which was first used in the seventeenth century, has attracted a wider readership. It has nineteen lines and two rhymes with a distinct structure. Another seventeenth-century form, the haiku, emerged from Japanese poetry with three lines in a designated syllabic structure. These and other less common forms made their way into contemporary poetry books and literature textbooks.

Diversity

Through the ages, poetry has developed in regions around the globe, each with its own design and structure. In the twentieth century, American literature textbooks started to include more non-Caucasian authors for a broader range of literary perspectives. By the end of the century, you could find poems by a number of authors who had been silent or sidelines previously. For example, a Puerto Rican poet may not have been able to spread their work as far or wide, if at all. There may also be a language barrier and accessibility to translation services. Additional examples could include poetry from indigenous peoples, Africans, and just about any other land in the world. No longer the providence of educated English professors, poems by convicts, writers with disabilities, and people of all ages, can share their work with the public.

Competition

Past poets no doubt competed quietly through publication or vocally via literary critics about the merits of their work and the weaknesses of other poems. By the end of the last century, poem competitions take place in school districts, coffee houses, and communities to gauge the audience's response. Slam poetry is an active competition similar to reciting rap lyrics where a performer tries to engage the audience and sometimes match or master the other dramatic poets. Slam poetry may be enacted with movements and a basic prop in a performance mode to incite audience response.

While some of these innovations have been around a long time, the twentieth century gave them new life. More than ever, we enjoy reading and listening to favorite poets or new artistic expressions of skilled verse masters.