No doubt you have heard the word stanza used with reference to the way a poem has been set out or constructed. The use of the word stanza is quite common in formal poetry, but the term is used very loosely in the vers libre. What we find in vers libre is more commonly referred to as a strophe. Stanza refers to the halt at the end of it, having the same derivation as stand or standing place (Italian). The strophe has a different meaning of a turning which is more appropriate in the vers libre.
Both stanza and strophe are tertiary rhythms, or a third means to highlight the rhythm of a poem. Primary rhythm is taken as the regular beat or ictus usually corresponding with a heavier syllable. In most formal poetry, this will occur at the end of each foot. Secondary rhythm is the verse itself, sometimes referred to as the line. This rhythm is indicated by the periodical recurrence of sounds, similar but not identical. This is commonly referred to as rime.
Rime is not required even in formal poetry. Commonly the result will be blank verse, but verses in the same position in each stanza must also have the same length and rhythmical structure. This correspondence can be accentuated by a rime scheme. Hence, we can see an immediate difference in the vers libre, it does not use stanzas even though they may appear as something similar.
In relation to formal verse (from here on), the smallest possible grouping is two lines, or couplets. The riming couplet is quite common in English poetry. However, the use of enjambment to continue a thought will make the poem more appropriately blank verse. Strict use of the heroic couplet requires each couplet to be a complete thought as in the work of Pope. Pope’s couplets are mostly self-contained with the end of the couple coinciding with the end of the sentence highlighting the stanzaic effect.
Vers libre has no restrictions on the verse structure because they are less determined by formal conditions and more by the unifying thought, action or feeling.
The stanza has more value then we might think. At first it can have a very aesthetic appeal, especially in the larger stanzas. The indentation of lines not only highlights the rime-scheme but alerts the reader to the anticipated recurrence of both rhythm and rime. The secondary appeal comes from the effect of using verses of different length. Coupled with these two effects, there is the emotional force of the stanza as it works its way to the final verse along with its metrical structure.
The typical use for the stanza is to give structure to the poem and present the poem in logical pieces. Depending on the type of stanza used, it is used to develop an idea, thought or emotion. The succeeding stanzas may continue to develop the concept or continue with other ideas as suiting the poet.
In general, we find that the quatrains and sestets do not always lend themselves to the full development of a thought, idea or feeling in a single stanza. Such forms as rime royal, ottava rima and the like will naturally lead to a better development without overly stressing the reader’s concentration. It is surprising how much difference an extra verse or two can make. Quatrains, sestets, and more so couplets encourage a more concentrated effort in strength of expression, but their downfall is that they can be quite abrupt due to their verse limitation.
Although enjambment is a wonderful technique, it can have the effect of weakening the stanzaic structure, especially with shorter stanzas. Whether this is good or bad will depend on the content and skill of the poet. There is also the difficulty of allowing the reader to grasp the meaning of the enjambment: it may continue for too long to be successfully sustained. As a result, the emotional significance can be lost. This problem is particularly noticeable when using riming couplets. We start to become too aware of the enjambment and lose the effect of the rime and so too the metrical construction. The poet is effectively unloading too much upon the reader in their attempt to impart their thoughts and feelings, resulting in an unpleasant reading experience.
There is another downside if the stanza is too short. If it is too short it can lack the scope and variety needed for expression. Variations can be introduced to avoid problems in some manner. those of different verse lengths and the introduction of the feminine ending. In general, we would be considering at the least, the quatrain and no more than the Spenserian Stanza of nine verses, although technically more difficult with its added variation of the alexandrine1. Other structures such as terza rima where overflow or enjambment is common require a different skill to carry the thought and emotion using the rime scheme.
Care must be taken in the construction of a stanza. For example, it may be tempting at times to combine two quatrains to form an octet2. However, we find that the rime scheme may not be altogether appropriate. We could say that the rime-scheme of ababeded would, in most cases, not all, be better left as two quatrains rather than an octet. In this case, there may be little or no connection between the fourth and fifth verses, which is begging for a separation between these two verses. Makeshift longer stanzas do not always work as expected, or hoped for.
A lot of thought was once given to the construction of a stanza and how it may have consisted of different elements. During this period, certain forms of poetry had to satisfy specific requirements, and these requirements were appropriately named so they could be identified. I have added the following terminology because it is interesting, albeit rarely used today. In more technical terms, stanzas may be classified as isometrical or anisometrical according to whether the lines are equal or not. Classifications may go further depending on the form. For example, ababcc may be said to represent two pedes ab ab and a cauda cc, but this is reaching back to the Italian or Provençial scheme and there is nothing to be gained from using such classifications today.