Introduction to Forms of Oral Poetry

 

What is oral poetry?

Oral poetry is a form of poetry that is composed and transmitted without the aid of writing but is instead transmitted from generation to generation by word of mouth. Oral poems include the art of performance thus they overlap with, or are identical with songs. It is important to note that despite being oral, modern forms of oral poetry are recorded as audio-visual or written down for reference.

Forms of oral poetry are referred to as ‘oral’ which means ‘ to do by mouth’ thus means that oral poems are memorized and performed by word of mouth. This, therefore, makes these poems change from one performer to another. Even though, memorized oral poems can
come to be written down for the sake of learning and storing leading to a situation in
which written versions influence the memorized versions.

Oral poems are therefore basically oral songs/ folklore/ folk poetry picked from
communities. These poems contain a part of their oral traditions. These songs are verbal
expressions of feelings, ideas and thoughts that are performed orally and delivered by
word of mouth in front of an audience.

Traditionally, oral poetry served as a form of communication wherein, art, idea and
cultural materials are preserved and transmitted orally from one generation to another.
The transmission was through songs, chants or verses and thus it was possible for a
society to transmit oral history, oral literature, oral law etc across generations without a
writing system. 

The common forms of oral poetry include:

• Lullabies
• Wedding songs
• Praise songs
• War songs
• Political songs
• Funeral songs
• Work songs
• Sacred songs
• Love songs
• Initiation songs
• Sacrificial songs