The term 'Bard or Minstrel' is often used to refer to a POET. A bard or minstrel is a professional storyteller, singer, or POET in pre-industrial societies. They were often employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the important events of their lives. Bards and minstrels were also responsible for preserving the oral tradition of their culture, passing down stories and songs from generation to generation.