Understanding the Structure of a Poem
Introduction to the structure of a poem
In poetry, the sequence of words is carefully arranged by the poet. To discuss the arrangement, several terms have been created to describe different aspects of the process. These various ways of organizing words form the structure of a poem.
1. Line
The basic unit of poetry consists of a group of words arranged to make up a line.
The line helps to distinguish poetry from prose.
Characteristics of a line of a poem
Typically, a line contains six carefully chosen words. A line does not necessarily correspond to a sentence but to a series of metrical feet. The remainder of a line that occupies more than one line is usually indented to indicate a continuation.
2. Length of Lines
The length of each line in traditional verse forms is determined by the agreement between the words used or the message to be communicated in the line.
Modern poetry allows poets more freedom in choosing the length of lines, resulting in free verse. A single line of a poem arranged in a metrical pattern that does not relate to other lines before and after it is called a verse.
3. Stanza
A stanza is a group of lines in a poem arranged to form a unit. The stanza of a poem is a structural element that helps to divide the poem and give it form.
Stanzas are often repeated in the same pattern of meter and rhyme throughout the poem. However, stanzas in modern poetry, such as free verse, often do not have lines of the same length and meter, nor even the same number of lines in each stanza.
Stanzas created by irregular line groupings are often dictated by meaning, as in paragraphs of prose while those in concrete poems graphically represent what they are communicating.
4. Stanza Forms
The forms of stanzas used in a poem form the structure of the poem. The structure of the poem formed is used to classify poems.
Poems have different stanza forms with varying numbers of lines, making some long and others short.
The arrangement of stanzas or methods used to convey the content, such as free verse, ballad, or haiku, gives a poem a specific structure.
4. Point of View
The point of a view used in a poem refers to the perspective from which the poem is being told. The point of view of a poem can shape its meaning and interpretation of a poem.