Verse (poetry)

A verse is formally a single metrical line in a poetic composition.^[1] However, verse has come to represent any grouping of lines in a poetic composition, with groupings traditionally having been referred to as stanzas.^[2]

Verse in the uncountable (mass noun) sense refers to poetry in contrast to prose.^[3] Where the common unit of verse is based on meter or rhyme, the common unit of prose is purely grammatical, such as a sentence or paragraph.^[4]

Verse in the second sense is also used pejoratively in contrast to poetry to suggest work that is too pedestrian or too incompetent to be classed as poetry.

^ Rys, John Van; Meyer, Verne; Sebranek, Patrick (2011-01-01). The Research Writer, Spiral bound Version. Cengage Learning. p. 350. ISBN 978-1-133-16882-9.
^ "Definition of verse | Dictionary.com". dictionary.com. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
^ Wiktionary, "verse" (accessed 20 November 2020).
^ "Verse", "Types-Of-Poetry", Screen 1

[1] Rys, John Van; Meyer, Verne; Sebranek, Patrick (2011-01-01). The Research Writer, Spiral bound Version. Cengage Learning. p. 350. ISBN 978-1-133-16882-9.

[2] "Definition of verse | Dictionary.com". dictionary.com. Retrieved 2022-10-09.

[3] Wiktionary, "verse" (accessed 20 November 2020).

[4] "Verse", "Types-Of-Poetry", Screen 1

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