The basic elements of poetry

By: Vinni Nasrul

The basic elements of poetry are :

· Meter: Meter is the rhythmic structure within a poem and is dictated by the number of syllables and the pattern in which these syllables are emphasized.

· Rhyme: Rhyme is created when the last one or more syllables within separate words match. A poem is considered to rhyme when the last words of the lines within the verse share this relationship.

· Scheme: A scheme refers to the rhyming pattern within a verse of poetry. The scheme could contain words that rhyme at each of every line throughout the stanza, or alternating lines, or in couplets. We often signify the rhyme scheme using an arrangement of letters.

· Verse: The verse of the poem is a way to describe the relationship between rhyme and meter in a poem.

· Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines within the verse of a poem. They often follow a similar pattern or meter or contain a similar idea, but not always. They are separated from other stanzas within the poem through the use of a break or a blank line.