Stanza

Definition: A collection of lines in a poem; stanzas are separated by a line break. A paragraph is to prose as a stanza is to poetry.


Example: 

                     Our God, our help in ages past,
                     Our hope for years to come,
                     Our shelter from the stormy blast,
                     And our eternal home.

                     Beneath the shadow of Thy throne
                     Thy saints have dwelt secure;
                     Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
                     And our defense is sure.

—"O God, Our Help in Ages Past," Isaac Watts

Significance: Stanzas are important because they separate a poem into parts, organizing the poem and grouping like ideas and rhyme schemes together.