poem Copy link Outline 1. pŏēma, ătis, n.2. carmen, ĭnis, n. (strictly, whatever is or can be sung • poem: 1. pŏēma, ătis, n.: dat. and abl. pl., -is rather than -ibus (usu. a single composition in verse; whereas carmen oftener denotes verse or poetry generally): to compose a p., p. condere, Cic. Att. 1, 16, 9; componere, id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 4; pangere, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 40. (N.B.--Poema facere = to write poetry: cf. Cic. de Or. 1, 50, 217: id. Ac. 1, 3, 9.) Dimin. pŏēmătium, a small or short p.: Plin. min.: Aus. 2. carmen, ĭnis, n. (strictly, whatever is or can be sung: cf. supr.): the poems of Livius, carmina Livi, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 69: a funeral p., c. funebre, Quint. 8, 2, 8: see also verse, poetry.