Satirical Poems

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

TitleAuthorType of Poem
The Poet's Seat. An Idyll Of The Suburbs.Henry Austin DobsonSatirical
The Poets Of The TombHenry LawsonSatirical
The Premier And The SocialistBanjo Paterson (Andrew Barton)Satirical
The Proof - The Queen Of FashionHoratio Alger, Jr.Satirical
The PuzzlerRudyard KiplingSatirical
The Rape of the Lock (Canto 4)Alexander PopeSatirical
The Rector And His Curate; Or, One Pound TwoThomas MooreSatirical
The Rights Of Woman. An Occasional Address SpokenRobert BurnsSatirical
The Rule Of The A.J.CBanjo Paterson (Andrew Barton)Satirical
The Sale Of The ToolsThomas MooreSatirical

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.