Stanza

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines stanza as “a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme (strophe).”

If those fancy words seem a bit confusing to you, there are much simpler definitions of stanza by the Cambridge Dictionary. First, we have its British version, which is “a group of lines of poetry forming a unit.” And second, there’s the American one: “Stanza is a related group of lines in a poem or a song, a verse.” The British wouldn’t be British enough if they put it too simply. But luckily, we have the Americans who are not ashamed to say: “Well, stanza is basically just a different word for verse.”

When we search for examples, we encounter many materials for children which I believe are great for anyone who really wants to just grasp the concept and see it clearly, e.g., the following explanation of Twinkl web page:

„Stanzas with 2 lines that rhyme are known as couplet.“ 

As an easily memorable model, they offer this well-known verse:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

If you’re somehow still unsure about what to imagine when someone says “stanza”, you can take a glance at the following YouTube video in which Andrea Spiess quickly demonstrates what stanza (or a verse) is on two different examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBnkBB3n65I&ab_channel=AndreaSpiess

Works cited:

“Stanza Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stanza. Accessed 21 Oct. 2023.

“Stanza.” Cambridge Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/stanza. Accessed 21 Oct. 2023.

“Stanzas and Verses.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Apr. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBnkBB3n65I&ab_channel=AndreaSpiess.

“What Is a Stanza?” Twinkl.Cz, www.twinkl.cz/teaching-wiki/stanza. Accessed 21 Oct. 2023.

 author of the page: Alena Sauerová