In poetry, what is a stanza?

• A. A single line of poetry.
• B. A grouped set of lines forming a unit.
• C. The overall theme of the poem.
• D. A rhyme scheme used in poetry.

Answer: (B)

In poetry, a stanza is like a paragraph in prose—several lines grouped together to express one idea, image, or mood. Stanzas are usually separated from each other by a blank line, signaling a shift to a new thought or scene. Each line in a stanza works with the others to develop that shared idea, and poets might use a regular rhythm or rhyme pattern within a stanza, though that pattern can vary.

So, the idea being tested is recognizing that a stanza is a unit made up of multiple lines, not a single line, not the poem’s overall theme, and not the rhyme scheme itself. A single line isn’t enough to form a stanza; the unit is the group of lines together.