Narrative Poem

The narrative poem (poema) is a large lyric-epic work in verse in which an extended plot is combined with the disclosure of the feelings and experiences of the lyric hero or the author. The poema unites epic eventfulness with lyric agitation and often contains authorial digressions and philosophical generalizations. Historically the genre descends from heroic epic but in modern literature took on varied forms — the romantic, the satirical, and the philosophical poema. In Ukrainian literature the poema holds a central place: unsurpassed examples were created by Taras Shevchenko (The Haidamaks, Kateryna, The Dream, The Caucasus, Maria), who raised the genre to the heights of national prophecy. Narrative poems were also written by Ivan Franko (Moses, Ivan Vyshensky), Lesia Ukrainka, Pavlo Tychyna, and, in the modern era, Lina Kostenko and Ivan Drach.