Satirical Poems

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

TitleAuthorType of Poem
The Vote Of Thanks DebateHenry LawsonSatirical
The WasterRudyard KiplingSatirical
The Well-Dressed Children.Robert von Ranke GravesSatirical
The Wellington SpaThomas MooreSatirical
The Young VetsA. H. LaidlawSatirical
Things That Mortals Eat ThereHoratio Alger, Jr.Satirical
Thoughts On MischiefThomas MooreSatirical
Thoughts On Tar BarrelsThomas MooreSatirical
Thoughts On The Late Destructive Propositions Of The Tories.[1]Thomas MooreSatirical
Thoughts On The Present Government Of IrelandThomas 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.