How to Write a Pindaric Ode

An ode is a lyrical verse and its name comes from the Greek aeidein, which means to sing or chant. An ode is typically written in praise of, or as a dedication, to someone or something that captures the poet's interest or is an inspiration for their ode.

There are three typical types of odes: the Pindaric ode, the Horatian ode and the Irregular ode. In this poetry writing workshop we're looking at the structure of the Pindaric ode.

The Pindaric ode is the original ode creation of the Greek poet, Pindar. Historically, the Pindaric ode's subject celebrates a person, place, event etc. and the Pindaric ode was a lengthy poem.

The Pindaric ode is written in a triad of stanzas, the strophe, the antistrophe and the epode.

The strophe and antistrophe consist of any number of lines of any lengths following any rhyme scheme that the poet chooses; however, they are identical in structure. The epode differs in structure in whatever ways the poet chooses to make it differ to suit his content of their ode.

Here is an example of a Pindaric ode by Thomas Gray: