A proem is a formal preface or introductory poem that precedes a longer work, setting its thematic, tonal, or philosophical framework—distinct from a mere preface in prose, the proem is itself a poetic composition that often addresses the Muse, dedicates the work, or articulates the poet’s purpose; classical examples include Lucretius’s “De Rerum Natura,” which opens with a hymn to Venus, and Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene,” whose proem invokes divine inspiration, while modern uses appear in long sequences like Hart Crane’s “The Bridge,” where the proem (“Proem: To Brooklyn Bridge”) establishes the poem’s visionary ambition and symbolic architecture.

An introductory poem or preface to a longer work. Sets tone and context. Related to prologue but specifically poetic. Compare with exordium. Note framing function.