ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Poetic tradition

Poetic tradition is like a really cool secret club where poets get together and share ideas and styles of writing poems. It's like playing a fun game where everyone agrees on the rules and tries to make the best poem they can. Just like how you and your friends might have a special handshake or a secret way of talking, poets also have their own cool tricks and techniques that they use in their writing.

This club has been around for a long time, way longer than you or I have been alive. It started a long time ago with people called bards, who would travel around and tell stories and sing songs about heroes and adventures. And just like how you might learn things from your parents or grandparents, these bards taught other people their songs and stories, passing them down from generation to generation.

As time went on, more and more people joined the club, sharing their own ideas and styles of poetry. They started to write about all kinds of things, not just heroes and adventures, but also about love, nature, and everyday life. Some even made up their own rules and styles of writing, trying to make their poems stand out from the others.

Today, poets still gather in this special club, sharing their own unique voices and styles. They read each other's poems, offer advice and encouragement, and continue to pass down the traditions of the club to new poets. Just like anything else, poetic tradition is always changing and growing, but it will always remain a special and secret club for those who love to write and read poetry.