Lyric poem with complex rules of structure. Odes originated in ancient Greece, where they were chanted to a musical accompaniment. Classical writers of odes include Sappho, Pindar, Horace, and Catullus. English poets who adopted the form include Edmund Spenser, John Milton, John Dryden, and John Keats.
Green represents agriculture. Red recalls the struggle for independence. Black stands for the Zambian people. Orange symbolizes Zambia's mineral wealth, particularly the major deposits of copper. Effective date: 24 October 1964.