Narrative poem is longer and 'story telling' inclined while lyric poem is shorter and highly musical.
Explanation: when studying poetry, we need to know the types/kinds of poetry we are dealing with. There are generally two clear kinds in mind I.e lyric poem and narrative poem.
Lyric poem:
This is a non narrative poem in which a single speaker brings forth his mind or an emotional state. Its is musical and therefore has musical verse that expresses the speakers feeling and observations.
Lyrical poems should posses musical qualities like rhythm alliteration and also onomatopoeia. Lyric poem is usually short.
Forms of lyrical poem may include:-
sonnet, ode, haiku, villanelle, adubade, shaman, romantic verse ...
Examples of lyrical poems include:-
- AMERICA by Robert creeles
-ODE TO NIGHTINGALE by John Keats
NARRATIVE POEM
On the other hand is given a verbal representation of a series of connected events. Although has fallen out of fashion, narrative poem had its moments of glory. Narrative poem tells a compelling story be it short story or flash fiction.
It's normally made of a beginning, middle and end in other words, Introduction, Body and Conclusion. A narrative can also include any form of expression common to any type of poem e.g typographic elements, metaphors, irony e.t.c All these elements must help the narrative it self by propelling the action to rise to climax.
A narrative can be long or short, as long as they can tell a story.
Forms of narrative poem may include :-
EPIC, BALLAD, IDYLL, LAY, ROMANCE
EXAMPLES OF NARRATIVE POEMS ARE
EASEY AT THE BAT by Sir Walter Scott
THE RAVEN by Edgar Allen Poe
In conclusion
Narrative poem is longer while lyrical poem is shorter
Narrative poem is more story-like while lyrical poem is highly musical
Narrative poem gives a verbal representation of series of connected events while lyrical is about describing feelings
Things they both have in common
They are both romantic
They both have rhyming scheme
