Literature Glossary

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Terza Rima

Definition:

Terza rima is the Ferrari of poetic forms: It's sleek, it's Italian, and it knows how to handle curves. Dante Alighieri popularized the form in the late 13th century in his epic poem "The Divine Comedy," and it's built out of tercets—or three-line stanzas—in iambic pentameter.

The coolest part? It uses chain rhyme, which sounds like a medieval MC, but is actually a twisty rhyme scheme. Check it out: ABA BCB CDC DED. In the first stanza, the first and third lines rhyme. That's the A. In the second stanza, the first and third lines rhyme again, but they also rhyme with the second line of the first stanza. Those are all the Bs. Ready to test drive some terza rima poems? Try these: