Poetry, an art as old as time,

With roots in ancient Greece, sublime.

But other civilizations too,

ultivated verse, it's true.

In Mesopotamia, clay tablets found,

With poems dating back, profound.

Epic tales of heroes bold,

In prehistoric times, were told.

In Africa, hunting verse was made,

And elegies and praise conveyed.

Through oral transmission passed,

These ancient poems have long outlasted.

As time went on, poetry grew,

In form and style and subject too.

From ancient hymns to modern verse,

Poetry's history is diverse.

In China, the Book of Songs was penned,

A collection of poems to transcend.

And in India, the Vedas were sung,

Ancient hymns in Sanskrit tongue.

In Europe, the troubadours did sing,

Of love and chivalry, taking wing.

And Shakespeare wrote his sonnets fair,

Of love and loss and deep despair.

The Romantic poets then took the stage,

With passion and emotion on every page.

And the Modernists broke with tradition,

Experimenting with form and diction.

So here's to poetry, old and new,

A timeless art for me and you.

From ancient epics to free verse,

Poetry's history is diverse.