Outline the story you want to tell in your medieval poem. Medieval poems are often several stanzas long and tell a story with a beginning, middle and end, based on either a medieval legend or an original theme featuring heroic adventure, epic battles or love. Other themes include fantasy--dragons, knights, elves, wizards--and dark, Gothic-influenced material.
Write in the language of medieval times. A medieval glossary or a book containing medieval words and phrases at your side can be helpful as you write. The rhythm of each line of a medieval poem should arise from the beauty and authenticity of the language.
Format your medieval poem in a style appropriate to the story. Rhyming is not an essential part of medieval poetry. Place less focus on finding rhymes and more focus on each line of the poem illustrating an action or emotion as visually as possible. Medieval poems are descriptive by nature.
Write stanzas that work almost as chapters in a novel. Stanzas can range from four lines to 20 lines, sometimes more. Think of each stanza as a self-contained unit that illustrates a specific scene or event in your story.
Add a prologue and epilogue, effective devices in medieval poetry. A prologue can set the scene of the story you want to tell. The epilogue should wrap up your epic medieval poem. Endings in medieval poetry are typically bittersweet and leave room for a continuing story.