Lyric: (of poetry) expressing the writer's emotions, usually briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms. Ode: a lyric poem, typically one in the form of an address to a particular subject, written in varied or irregular metre. Hymn: a religious song or poem of praise to God or a god. Ballad: a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically of unknown authorship, having been passed on orally from one generation to the next.