How to Use Stanzas
In order to use stanzas,
- Write a set of poetic lines.
- Divide the lines based on style, intention, and / or rhythm of the overall poem.
For example, consider these lines:
Poetic Lines
Dance with the wind that flows through the trees,
dance with the light I feel within me.
Pause to catch your breath my friend,
but promise me our dance won’t end.
These lines rhyme AABB (trees with me, friend with end). The first two lines concern dancing, and the second two concern a pause and a promise.
Poem with Stanzas
Dance with the wind that flows through the trees,
dance with the light I feel within me.
Pause to catch your breath my friend,
but promise me our dance won’t end.
The division of this poem into two rhymed couplets for stanzaic organization is meaningful in numerous ways. For one, there are two dancers. For a second reason, it divides the poem into two moments of differing energies: dancing with delight and pausing for a moment of togetherness.
For a second example, consider a poem about three people:
Poetic Lines
Brother struggles to understand
sister’s frustration at year end.
Mother insists the two simply be kind.
As sister, I must say,
I wish the both of them would go away!
This poem has three characters: a brother, sister, and mother who are struggling to get along.
Poem with Stanzas
Brother struggles to understand
sister’s frustration at year end.
Mother insists the two simply be kind.
As sister I must say,
I wish the both of them would go away!
This poem could be arranged in a variety of ways: with no stanzas to highlight the family’s togetherness despite conflict, or divided to mirror the strife within the family. In this example, stanzas create division and reflect the conflict: at the beginning, the brother and sister are butting heads. The mother stands alone in insisting the two be nicer to one another. Finally, the sister separates herself from her brother and mother, wishing they would leave her alone. In this example, the stanzaic organization strongly mirrors the conflict, characters’ divisions, and their wishes all at once.
When to Use Stanzas
Stanzas are only used to organize poetry. They can be used to reflect a poet’s intention, the poem’s mood and pace, or the various themes and characters at work within the poem. Whereas poems use stanzas, prose makes use of paragraphs and songs use verses.