A group of lines in a poem that work together, like a paragraph in an essay.
Stanza
A single row of words in a poem.
Line
Acting in a brave, heroic, or chivalrous way.
Gallantly
The punishment given to someone convicted of a crime, usually involving time in prison.
Sentence
A stanza that has exactly four lines. It's one of the most common types of stanzas in poetry.
Quatrain
- Poetry that doesn't follow traditional rules about rhyme, meter, or structure. Also called "free verse."
Open form
A complicated maze or network of paths that's confusing and difficult to navigate. It can also mean any complex or puzzling situation.
Labyrinth
To break down and absorb information or food. In reading, it means to understand and process what you've learned, taking time to think it through.
Digest
The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry, creating a rhythm or beat.
Meter
The musical quality or beat in poetry created by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. It's what makes a poem flow when you read it aloud.
Rhythm
A device with mirrors or prisms that lets you see over or around obstacles, commonly used in submarines to see above the water's surface.
Periscope
Balanced, ready, and composed.
Poised
The pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem, usually shown with letters (like ABAB or AABB). Lines with the same letter rhyme with each other.
Rhyme scheme
When two or more words have the same ending sound.
Rhyme
Relating to marks or symbols added to letters to change their pronunciation or meaning, like the accent marks in "café" or the tilde in "señor."
Diacritical
Experiencing mental decline or confusion due to old age.
Senile
The specific structure or type of poem, such as a sonnet, haiku, or limerick. Each form has its own rules about length, rhyme, and rhythm.
Poetic form
The way a poem is organized and built, including its stanzas, lines, rhyme scheme, and overall pattern.
Poetic structure
A badge, symbol, or emblem that shows someone's rank, membership, or achievement. For example, a police officer's badge or a team logo.
Insignia
Relating to abstract ideas about existence, reality, and the nature of things beyond the physical world.
Metaphysical