Poet

A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or written), or they may also perform their art to an audience.

The work of a poet is essentially one of communication, expressing ideas either in a literal sense (such as communicating about a specific event or place) or metaphorically. Poets have existed since prehistory, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary greatly in different cultures and periods. Throughout each civilization and language, poets have used various styles that have changed over time, resulting in countless poets as diverse as the literature that (since the advent of writing systems) they have produced.

Luuletaja (luuleline sünonüüm poeet; naissoost poetess) on kirjanik, kes loob luule vormis kirjandusteoseid.

Runoilija on luova ja taiteellinen kirjailija, joka kirjoittaa runoja. Historian ensimmäisenä nimeltä tunnettuna runoilijana pidetään mesopotamialaista Enheduannaa 2200-luvulta eaa. Maailmankirjallisuudessa kuuluisia runoilijoita ovat muiden muassa Homeros, William Shakespeare ja Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Suomalaisia runoilijoita ovat muun muassa J. L. Runeberg, Eino Leino, Edith Södergran ja Aila Meriluoto.

Ein diktar, lyrikar eller poet er ein forfattar som skriv lyriske eller poetiske tekstar — dikt.

En poet eller poetissa (mindre använt), från grekiskans poiētēs, är en person som (regelbundet) skriver poesi. En mera högtidlig benämning är skald. En person som skriver dålig poesi brukar pejorativt kallas versmakare eller versifikatör.

En sjungande poet i den forntida keltiska kulturen benämndes bard, ett ord vars betydelse kommit att utvidgas till att omfatta poeter i allmänhet.