poeta

Poeta is a term used in several Romance languages to denote a person who writes poetry. It is most commonly used in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. In these languages, gender forms exist: for example, Italian 'poeta' (masc.) and 'poetessa' (fem.); Spanish may use 'poetisa' as the feminine form; Portuguese often uses 'poeta' for both genders. The term is cognate with the English 'poet' and broadly refers to authors of verse.

From Latin poeta, itself from Greek poiētēs, maker, from poiein 'to make'.

A poet composes poems, which can be lyric, narrative, epic, or experimental. Poets may work with various meters and rhyme schemes or free verse, and may perform, publish, or maintain oral traditions. Poetry as a form often emphasizes economy of language, imagery, and sound.

Poets have played prominent roles in cultural and intellectual history, sometimes influencing social discourse. Notable poets include Dante, Li Bai, Sappho, Rabindranath Tagore, John Donne, Federico García Lorca, Pablo Neruda, and Langston Hughes, among others.