What is a STANZA?
A STANZA is a group of lines in a poem that share a common pattern of METER, LINE LENGTH, and RHYME.
What are the COMMON TYPES OF STANZAS?
#1 COUPLET
A COUPLET is a pair of rhymed lines of the same length and Meter.
#2 TERCET (TRIPLET)
A TERCET is a group of three lines that usually share the same rhyme.
#3 TERZA RIMA
Invented by Dante Aligieri.
A type of TERCET where the tercets are linked by a pattern of shared rhymes with a final stanza of two lines that rhyme
RHYME SCHEME = aba bcb cdc ded ff
#4 QUATRAIN
A QUATRAIN consists of four lines.
QUATRAINS are the most common form of poetry
#5 BALLAD
A BALLAD is a poem that ALTERNATES TETRAMETER and TRIMETER
Typically, the 2nd and 4th lines rhyme.
#6 ITALIAN SONNET
An ITALIAN SONNET is a 14 line poem consisting of 2 QUATRAINS and 2 TERCETS
RHYME SCHEME = abab abab cde cde
OR abab abab cdc cdc
OR abab abab cdc dcd
#7 ENGLISH (SHAKESPEAREAN) SONNET
An ENGLISH SONNET is a 14 line poem consisting of 3 QUATRAINS and 1 COUPLET
RHYME SCHEME = abab cdcd efef gg
