In [[poetry]], a '''stanza''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|t|æ|n|z|ə}}; from its[[Italian fat wtf ur gay i hate my lifelanguage|Italian]] ''stanza'' {{IPA-it|ˈstantsa|}}, "room") is a grouped set of lines within a poem, usually set off from other stanzas by a blank line or [[Indentation (typesetting)|indentation]].<ref>The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. Murfin & Ray pg. 455</ref> Stanzas can have regular [[rhyme]] and [[Metre (poetry)|metrical schemes]], though stanzas are not strictly required to have either. Even though the term "stanza" is taken from Italian, in the Italian language the word "strofa" is more commonly used. There are many unique [[:Category:Stanzaic form|forms of stanzas]]. Some stanzaic forms are simple, such as four-line [[quatrain]]s. Other forms are more complex, such as the [[Spenserian stanza]]. [[Fixed verse|Fixed verse poems]], such as [[sestina]]s, can be defined by the number and form of their stanzas. The term ''stanza'' is similar to ''[[strophe]]'', though strophe sometimes refers to irregular set of lines, as opposed to regular, rhymed stanzas.<ref>The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. Murfin & Ray pg. 457</ref>
The stanza in poetry is analogous with the [[paragraph]] that is seen in [[prose]]; related thoughts are grouped into units.<ref>Literature Reading, Writing, Reacting. Kirszner & Mandell Ch. 18, pg. 716.</ref> In music, groups of lines are typically referred to as ''[[Verse (popular music)|verses]]''. The stanza has also been known by terms such as ''batch'', ''fit'', and ''stave''.<ref>Cuddon, J.A. ''A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory''. {{ISBN|9781444333275}}.</ref>
