Satirical Poems

“Wit with a purpose—irony, parody, and pointed critique in verse.”

TitleAuthorType of Poem
A Ghost Story. To The Air Of Unfortunate Miss Bailey.Thomas MooreSatirical
A Glimpse Of China. "Caste."Francis William Lauderdale AdamsSatirical
A Glimpse Of China. Over The Samovar. {69A}Francis William Lauderdale AdamsSatirical
A Grub-Street ElegyJonathan SwiftSatirical
A HolidayElla Wheeler WilcoxSatirical
A Hymn Of Welcome After The RecessThomas MooreSatirical
A Job For McGuinnessBanjo Paterson (Andrew Barton)Satirical
A Legend Of The Foreign OfficeRudyard KiplingSatirical
A Libel, On The Reverend Dr. Delany, And His Excellency John, Lord CarteretJonathan SwiftSatirical
A Love Poem From A Physician To His MistressJonathan SwiftSatirical

Understanding Satirical Poetry

Satirical poems use wit, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to expose folly—personal, social, or political. The aim isn’t just laughter: it’s critique that nudges readers toward insight or change.

Common characteristics of satirical poetry:

  • Targeted Critique: Focuses on specific behaviors, institutions, or ideas—often timely, sometimes timeless.
  • Tools of Irony: Uses sarcasm, parody, understatement, and hyperbole to sharpen the point.
  • Voice & Persona: Speakers may be unreliable or exaggerated to reveal contradictions and hypocrisy.
  • Form Flexibility: Appears in couplets, tercets, quatrains, blank verse, or free verse—music serves the mockery.
  • Moral Pressure: Beneath the humor lies ethical pressure—satire seeks reform, not merely amusement.
  • Public & Personal: Can lampoon public figures and trends or needle private vanities and everyday pretenses.

The best satire balances bite with craft: memorable lines that entertain while revealing the gap between how things are and how they ought to be.