Wiersz

Wiersz is the Polish noun for a poem or verse. In Polish literary use, it denotes a piece of poetry written in lines and organized by rhythm and meter, and often by rhyme. The term refers to the work as a whole, while the smaller unit is typically called a wers (a line). A longer poem may consist of several wiersze grouped into stanzas (strofy).

Polish poetry uses various forms. Traditional wiersze often employ rhyme and regular meter, though many poets write free verse (wiersz wolny). Common forms include the sonnet (sonet), ballad (ballada), elegy (elegia), and ode (oda). The wiersz has been central to Polish literature from medieval religious verse through Romanticism and into modern and contemporary poetry.

Notable poets associated with the wiersz include Adam Mickiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki, and Cyprian Kamil Norwid; in the 20th century, Bolesław Leśmian, Julian Tuwim, Wisława Szymborska, and Czesław Miłosz. In general, the term remains in use to describe Polish poetry across eras and styles, from classic to experimental.