Answer:
Poetry has a rich and ancient history, with evidence of poetic expressions dating back thousands of years. The earliest surviving poems can be traced back to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece around 4000-5000 years ago.
Some notable examples include:
- The Epic of Gilgamesh (circa 2100 BC), one of the earliest surviving works of literature, which contains poetic elements.
- The Pyramid Texts (circa 2400 BC), ancient Egyptian spells and prayers inscribed on tomb walls, which have poetic qualities.
- The Rigveda (circa 1500 BC), an ancient Indian Vedic Sanskrit text, containing hymns and prayers in poetic form.
- The Iliad and The Odyssey (circa 8th century BC), epic poems attributed to Homer, which are some of the most influential works in the Western poetic tradition.
Poetry has been a vital part of human expression and culture, with various forms and styles evolving across time and civilizations.