What to use for poem?
preblockquotecodeDon't use code (unless computer code is part of the poem). Don't use blockquote (unless you quote a poem).
pre or brYou may use the pre element. The spec gives an (informative) example:
The following shows a contemporary poem that uses the pre element to preserve its unusual formatting, which forms an intrinsic part of the poem itself.
<pre> maxling it is with a heart heavy that i admit loss of a feline so loved a friend lost to the unknown (night) ~cdr 11dec07</pre>
However, I'd only use the pre element if the poem contains "more" than just meaningful line breaks (e.g. in this example the horizontal whitespace is meaningful).
If you have a simple poem, I'd go with the br element:
brelements must be used only for line breaks that are actually part of the content, as in poems or addresses.
pFor most poems, the p element is the right candidate (or several p elements, of course). The spec has an (informative) example:
<p>There was once an example from Femley,<br> Whose markup was of dubious quality.<br> The validator complained,<br> So the author was pained,<br> To move the error from the markup to the rhyming.</p>
Also:
For instance, an address is also a paragraph, as is a part of a form, a byline, or a stanza in a poem.
article, figure)Depending on the context (content, page structure, …), a sectioning element might be appropriate (article in most cases).
Also depending on the context, the figure element might be appropriate:
Here, a part of a poem is marked up using
figure.<figure> <p>'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves<br> Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;<br> All mimsy were the borogoves,<br> And the mome raths outgrabe.</p> <figcaption><cite>Jabberwocky</cite> (first verse). Lewis Carroll, 1832-98</figcaption> </figure>
But don't use these in general for all poems, it really depends on the page if their use is correct.
poetry element (→ Rejected)