ˈeɪntʃənt θˈɪŋkɚz sˈɔːt tə dɪtˈɜːmɪn wʌt mˌeɪks pˈoʊɪtɹi dɪstˈɪŋktɪv æz ɐ fˈɔːɹm ænd wʌt dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃᵻz ɡˈʊd pˈoʊɪtɹi fɹʌm bˈæd, ɹɪzˈʌltɪŋ ɪnðə dɪvˈɛləpmənt ʌv "poʊˈɛɾɪks", ɔːɹ ðə stˈʌdi ʌvðɪ ɛsθˈɛɾɪks ʌv pˈoʊɪtɹi.
Ancient thinkers sought to determine what makes poetry distinctive as a form and what distinguishes good poetry from bad, resulting in the development of "poetics", or the study of the aesthetics of poetry.