POETIC TERMS
Sonnet: a poem consisting of 14 lines of rhymed iambic
pentameter
Volta: the turn of ideas that takes place in a sonnet,
often after the first 8 lines or before the final couplet
STRUCTURE
Couplet: two consecutive lines that rhyme; in a sonnet,
usually the last two lines
Quatrain: a group of 4 lines in a poem that follow a
similar idea
Octave: a group of 8 lines in a poem that follow a
similar idea
Sestet: a group of 6 lines in a poem that follow a
similar idea
RHYMING
End rhyme: words at the ends of lines rhyme
Internal rhyme: words within the lines rhyme
Slant rhyme or Approximate rhyme: words sound
similar but do not rhyme exactly
Eye rhyme: words look like they would rhyme (because
of their spelling), but they do not sound the same
SONNET STRUCTURE
If the volta occurs after the octave, the octave bears
some kind of burden; it may introduce a question,
state a problem, define a desire, etc. The sestet eases
the burden; it may answer the question, solve the
problem, satisfy the yearning, etc.
If the volta occurs before the couplet, the couplet
may provide a conclusion to the poem, further
emphasis of the previous idea, or even a refutation
of that idea.