The literary style of Zuo Zhuan can be described as highly refined if you wish, but not quite "poetic". It's basically a very succinct style of old Chinese. And

The literary style of Zuo Zhuan can be described as highly refined if you wish, but not quite "poetic". It's basically a very succinct style of old Chinese. And it reads more like a diary than an epic story. I'd say Shiji feels more similar to an epic, at least a couple stories in it has an air of exaggeration :D