A poem is a piece of writing that uses carefully chosen words, rhythm, and sometimes rhyme to express ideas, feelings, or stories in a concentrated and powerful way. Unlike regular sentences that march straight across the page, poems often arrange words in lines and stanzas (groups of lines) that create patterns of sound and meaning.

Poems can rhyme, like “Roses are red, violets are blue,” but many don't rhyme at all. What makes something a poem is the attention paid to how the words sound and feel together, and the layers of meaning they create. A poet might repeat certain sounds, create a rhythm like a drumbeat, or break lines in unexpected places to make you pause and think.

Poetry has existed in every culture throughout history. Ancient Greeks recited epic poems about heroes. Japanese poets write haiku that capture a single moment in just three lines. Poets write about everything: nature, friendship, sadness, joy, injustice, or the taste of a perfect apple.

When you read a poem, you might need to read it several times to catch everything the poet tucked inside. The best poems reward that attention, revealing new layers of meaning each time, like unwrapping a present slowly to appreciate what's inside.