Great Regulars: The long form of narrative poetry has a framework

that holds it together. This frame may be a battle or a journey or a more contrived plot device such as a group of people on a pilgrimage, telling their personal stories. Within this formulaic concept, the author has the freedom to add love songs, descriptions, history lessons, mythology or philosophical digressions.

The avid readers of long narrative poems (who may have more patience than the readers of prose fiction) expect the author to show off his or her literary skills in the process of telling the story. In other words, they are reading the work for more than the story itself.

from Anthony Maulucci: Norwich Bulletin: On poetry: Whether sweeping or concise, narrative poetry always powerful

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