In order to discuss poetry, we'll need some basic vocabulary:

• Stanza - Unit of poetry, like a paragraph, new stanzas are indicated by a double space and the length of a stanza depends on the form of the poem.
• Meter - Meter involves the number of syllables in a line of poetry and also the stressed-unstressed pattern of the line. Some forms of poetry require a very specific meter, while for others you are free to choose. Perhaps the most famous meter is the iambic pentameter, which was used by Shakespeare in his sonnets and plays.
• Foot - A unit of meter consisting of a set of stressed and unstressed syllables. There are many different kinds of feet; the pattern of an iamb for instance is unstressed-stress.
• Scansion - A method of marking a poem to highlight the meter. Stressed and unstressed syllables are noted so feet can be identified and counted. This technique is important in checking your own poems to see if they confirm to the form you are using and also to identifying the meter of other works.
• Rhyme Scheme - This is the way a poem rhymes, it often follows a pattern, and is marked as shown below. Rhyme can occur at the end of a line (end rhyme), or in the middle of the line (slant rhyme). Slant rhyme is difficult, but done correctly it can add a new layer of structure and meaning to your work.