What About Stanza Breaks? From Nancie Atwell: Lessons That Change Writers

All About Stanzas It’s helpful to know that the word stanza comes from the Latin word stantia, which means “standing” or “stopping.” It’s helpful to know that the word stanza comes from the Latin word stantia, which means “standing” or “stopping.” The variety of Vulgar Latin that became Italian uses the word stanza to mean “stopping place” or “room.” The variety of Vulgar Latin that became Italian uses the word stanza to mean “stopping place” or “room.” Ron Padgett, a poet, says that it helps to think of stanza as the rooms in the house that is your poem. Ron Padgett, a poet, says that it helps to think of stanza as the rooms in the house that is your poem.

Definition from Dictionary.com stan·za an arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more, sometimes having a fixed length, meter, or rhyme scheme, forming a division of a poem. an arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more, sometimes having a fixed length, meter, or rhyme scheme, forming a division of a poem. Origin: 1580–90; < Italian: room, station, stopping-place (plural stanze ) < Vulgar Latin *stantia, equivalent to Latin stant- (stem of stāns ), present participle of stāre to stand + -ia -y3 Origin: 1580–90; < Italian: room, station, stopping-place (plural stanze ) < Vulgar Latin *stantia, equivalent to Latin stant- (stem of stāns ), present participle of stāre to stand + -ia -y3 stand-y stand-y A group of lines of verse, usually set off from other groups by a space. The stanzas of a poem often have the same internal pattern of rhymes. A group of lines of verse, usually set off from other groups by a space. The stanzas of a poem often have the same internal pattern of rhymes.verserhymesverserhymes

“The stanza-break almost always indicates a pause, however slight, just as you have to slow down to go through a door.” ~Ron Padgett

Some have to really take their time going through doors…

Stanza = Room Remember…a stanza is like a room in a house. Remember…a stanza is like a room in a house.

Look at Annie’s “The Storm” As she played with the form of the poem, she decided on 6 lines in each stanza. As she played with the form of the poem, she decided on 6 lines in each stanza. She broke her stanzas at the points where the action changes in the story her poem is telling, just as a writer of prose narrative would break for a new paragraph at each shift of action. She broke her stanzas at the points where the action changes in the story her poem is telling, just as a writer of prose narrative would break for a new paragraph at each shift of action.

The 1 st stanza—Annie and her dad pull lobster traps, in spite of ominous skies. The 1 st stanza—Annie and her dad pull lobster traps, in spite of ominous skies. The 2 nd stanza—it starts to pour. The 2 nd stanza—it starts to pour. The 3 rd stanza—they haul traps in the middle of the storm. The 3 rd stanza—they haul traps in the middle of the storm. The last stanza—they return to share. The last stanza—they return to share.

Things to Remember… In free-verse poetry, stanza breaks, like line breaks, are up to the poet. In free-verse poetry, stanza breaks, like line breaks, are up to the poet. As Padgett puts it, “You may want all the rooms in your house to be the same size, or you may want to vary the size of the rooms, depending on what they are for.” As Padgett puts it, “You may want all the rooms in your house to be the same size, or you may want to vary the size of the rooms, depending on what they are for.” “The main thing is to make rooms that are big enough to be useful, shapely enough to be attractive, and not so empty to be disappointing.” “The main thing is to make rooms that are big enough to be useful, shapely enough to be attractive, and not so empty to be disappointing.”

On the back of The Storm poem are important notes about line breaks and stanzas. On the back of The Storm poem are important notes about line breaks and stanzas. Please copy this information into your Writer’s Notebooks. (Remember your date!) Please copy this information into your Writer’s Notebooks. (Remember your date!) When you are done, you may begin Writer’s Workshop time and work on your poem/poems. When you are done, you may begin Writer’s Workshop time and work on your poem/poems. POETRY is AWESOME!