A narrative poem must

Analyze the question: It asks what a narrative poem must do, which is its defining feature.

Explain the concept: In literature, "narrative" comes from the Latin narrare, meaning "to tell." A narrative poem is a poem that tells a story. It has the usual elements of a story: characters, a setting, a plot (a sequence of events), and often a theme. Examples include epics such as The Odyssey and Beowulf, ballads, and Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Solution (checking each option):

• A. Preach a sermon: A poem that does this is didactic or religious. A narrative poem may carry a moral, but it does not have to preach.
• B. Tell a story: This is the defining feature of narrative poetry. ✔
• C. Describe natural scenery: This is typical of descriptive or pastoral poetry, such as Wordsworth's nature poems. It is not required of a narrative poem.
• D. Argue a question: This describes a polemical or argumentative poem, or a discursive one. It is not narrative.

Exam tip: Match the poem type to its keyword:

• Narrative → story
• Descriptive → scenery or imagery
• Didactic → teaching or moral
• Lyric → emotion or feeling
• Elegy → mourning