Poetic Form
Epigram
A short, witty poem that delivers its point with a final twist.
LengthVery shortOften a couplet or quatrain
The TurnThe last lineA sharp final twist
ToneWittyOften satirical
SubjectAnythingPraise, mockery, observation
About the Epigram
An epigram is a brief, pointed poem that turns on a moment of wit, paradox, or sting. It values compression above all: the form gathers tension across a few lines and discharges it in a final clever stroke.
Structure
Usually very short, often a couplet or quatrain. The defining feature is rhetorical rather than metrical: a setup followed by a sharp, often satirical conclusion.
An epigram has no fixed rhyme or meter. It is defined by brevity and wit: a short setup followed by a clever, often stinging final line.
A Short History
- Ancient GreeceShort verse inscriptions grow into witty poems.
- 1st century ADMartial's twelve books of epigrams define the form.
- 1600s to 1700sBen Jonson, then Pope and Swift, sharpen it in English.
- 1900sDorothy Parker and Ogden Nash make it modern light verse.
- TodayIts quick sting still suits a one-glance read.
Famous Epigrams
- 01"Epigrams" (twelve books)Martial
- 02"Epigram Engraved on the Collar of a Dog"Alexander Pope
- 03"News Item"Dorothy Parker
Questions About the Epigram
The things people ask most, answered in a sentence or two.
An epigram is a very short, witty poem that ends on a clever twist. It can praise, mock or simply make a sharp observation.
An epitaph is written in memory of someone who has died. An epigram can be about anything. Many poets have blurred the two with witty epitaphs.
Usually very short, often just two or four lines. Brevity is the whole point.