From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpoetrypo‧et‧ry /ˈpəʊətri $ ˈpoʊ-/ ●●● W3 noun [uncountable] 1 ALpoems in general, or the art of writing them → poem, poet He reads a lot of poetry. a poetry magazinemodern/lyric/love etc poetry a selection of religious poetry2 GRACEFULa quality of beauty, gracefulness, and deep feelingpure/sheer poetry The way she moves on the court is sheer poetry. His golf swing is poetry in motion.COLLOCATIONSverbswrite poetryI didn't know you wrote poetry.learn poetryHe made us learn a lot of poetry by heart.recite poetry (=say it to people from memory)Occasionally, my father would recite the poetry of Baudelaire.phrasesa piece of poetryWe had to memorize a piece of poetry.a line of poetryShe often quoted lines of poetry.a book/volume/collection of poetryHe had two books of poetry published.poetry + NOUNa poetry reading (=when poems are read to people, usually by the writer)I used to like giving poetry readings.a poetry bookHe has just brought out another poetry book.a poetry anthology (=a book of poems by different people)a poetry anthology containing work by modern Liverpool poetsadjectivesEnglish/French/Greek etc poetryHe was a student of English poetry.modern/contemporary poetryShe finds modern poetry difficult.
Examples from the Corpus
poetry• a poetry class• Quite clearly, Hausmann acknowledged its connection with Dada poetry.• His taste for poetry too reflects his tutor's skill.• He read me some of his poetry.• But Gary in his slow strangled voice spoke a kind of poetry as he told me about his previous life.• As a piece of poetry, it seems a fairly conventional summoning of royal emblems.• The way she moves is pure poetry.• And yet with what poetry did this petty man long for his niche and his pleasures.• The commercial streets are filled with upscale shops, art galleries, outdoor cafes and bookstores where poetry readings are held.• Aristotle scorned history as being unselective, whereas poetry and myth were not.modern/lyric/love etc poetry• His idiosyncratic usage is at once fascinating for analysis and a warning against making unwary generalisations about lyric poetry.• Amelia loved poetry and had an ingrained habit of retreating into it to handle difficult situations.• Then again, poets seem able to turn bad love - selfish, shitty love into good love poetry.• There are no special deictic terms or elements to be found in lyric poetry.• She loved poetry and was quick to laugh or weep at the vicissitudes of life.• Bakhtin is unusual among literary critics in making the focus of his activity the novel rather than lyric poetry or drama.• They love poetry, and their food, for both vegetarians and meat eaters, is delicious.• Few critics join Ortega in refusing women even the conditions necessary to write lyric poetry on sentimental themes.pure/sheer poetry• The work was completed, the Tyndalls eventually passed away and now the University has a music Department housed in pure poetry.• He wished to put in a plea for the teaching of pure poetry in the primary school. 