Quatrain
A four-line stanza, the most common unit in English poetry. Quatrains can follow various rhyme schemes (AABB, ABAB, ABCB, etc.). Their four-line structure feels complete and balanced, making them the foundation of many poetic forms and the basis for longer works.
Real World
The traditional English ballad 'Barbara Allen' uses ABCB quatrains sung to a simple melody, a form so memorable that it survived centuries of oral transmission across Britain and was carried to Appalachia by settlers.
Exam Focus
Identify the quatrain's specific rhyme scheme and explain how it shapes pace and expectation within the stanza.
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