mˈɛnɪəv ðə pˈoʊᵻmz sɚvˈaɪvɪŋ fɹʌmðɪ ˈeɪntʃənt wˈɜːld ɑːɹ ɹᵻkˈoːɹdᵻd pɹˈɛɹz, ɔːɹ stˈoːɹiz ɐbˌaʊt ɹᵻlˈɪdʒəs sˈʌbdʒɛkt mˈæɾɚ, bˌʌt ðeɪ ˈɔːlsoʊ ɪŋklˈuːd hɪstˈɔːɹɪkəl ɐkˈaʊnts, ɪnstɹˈʌkʃənz fɔːɹ ˈɛvɹɪdˌeɪ æktˈɪvᵻɾiz, lˈʌv sˈɔŋz, ænd fˈɪkʃən.
Many of the poems surviving from the ancient world are recorded prayers, or stories about religious subject matter, but they also include historical accounts, instructions for everyday activities, love songs, and fiction.