Poetry is a genre within literature that is characterized by maintaining an aesthetic at the time of its writing , respecting some basic characteristics of what has traditionally been conceived as poetry. On the one hand, it is very true that this genre, over time, has been mutating and in a very considerable way, for example, if the topics on which poetry is focused are taken into account.
But there is also no doubt that, from the original to the current poetry, some characteristics remain.
For example, the main characteristic is its writing in verse , thus differentiating itself from writing in prose, as in the case of the short story or the novel. The big difference is that the verse is not cut at the end of a line of writing, as in the case of prose, but it cuts at the pauses that need to be highlighted. But poetry also has a well-known characteristic, although it is not an inherent condition, as is the case with verse. The rhyme is that the verses contain similar endings so that the syllables sound similar. For example:
a bird sings on the roof of the house
towards the big blue sky
to each passing bird
he raises his elegant voice
If we see, the first verse has a similar ending to the third verse (house / pass) and large / elegant although they do not have a similar ending, when saying them, adding the typical intonation with which the poetry is read, they sound quite similar. We have named the intonation , and that is the third characteristic although it is not purely related to its writing, but rather to its reading. When reading a poem it is necessary to find a correct intonation, the rhymes stand out and, when reading the poetry, an attitude that allows transmitting the emotions that the poet tried to capture in his verses. This type of reading is called recitation .
The central themes of poetry have changed over time. In ancient times, poetry often related the exploits and exploits of warriors in combat , while in the Middle Ages, romantic poetry gained importance. Today, romantic poetry maintains its position, but other topics have gained ground in this genre, such as the case of human rights or environmental issues . This realizes that literature is a clear reflection of the time in which those who use this type of art live to express themselves.
