Stanza

What is a Stanza?

A stanza is a set amount of lines grouped by rhythmical pattern and meter. It usually has four or more lines and can be referred to as a verse.

List of stanza names according to the number of lines:

Two - Couplet

Three - Tercet

Four - Quatrain

Five - Cinquain

Other stanza names:

Ballad Stanza

Ottava Rima

Stanzas are used in poetry for structure. The length and pattern of the stanza decides what type of poem it is.

Try writing one of the above poetry types and entering it into one of our Poetry Competitions.