Poetic Form
Praise
A poem of formal exaltation, honoring a person, deity, or thing.
SubjectA person, god or thingHonored directly
ToneCeremonialOften public
RefrainCommonRepetition builds the honor
FormNo fixed shapeDefined by intention
About the Praise Poem
A praise poem is a sustained verbal honoring of a subject, a person, a deity, an institution, an object. Where the ode is elevated and reflective, the praise poem is direct, ceremonial, often public in its address.
Structure
No fixed form. The praise poem is defined by intention rather than shape: an accumulation of titles, attributes, and acts that exalt the subject. Many traditions use parallelism and refrain as their organizing principle.
A praise poem has no fixed pattern. It is defined by its aim of honoring a subject, often through lists of titles and deeds, parallel lines and refrains.
A Short History
- AntiquityVedic hymns and Hebrew Psalms praise the divine.
- 5th century BCPindar praises athletes in his victory odes.
- Middle AgesWest African griots sing praise for kings and families.
- 2009Elizabeth Alexander reads Praise Song for the Day at an inauguration.
- TodayPoets still write praise poems for people, places and things.
Famous Praise Poems
- 01"Psalm 150"Hebrew Bible
- 02"Olympian 1" (a victory ode)Pindar
- 03"Praise Song for the Day"Elizabeth Alexander
Questions About the Praise Poem
The things people ask most, answered in a sentence or two.
A praise poem honors its subject directly, whether a person, a god, a place or an everyday thing. It often lists the subject's qualities and deeds.
Both celebrate a subject. An ode is usually elevated and reflective, while a praise poem is more direct and ceremonial, often meant to be spoken aloud.
Almost every culture has them, from the Psalms and Vedic hymns to the praise songs of West African griots.