In poetry, a stanza is a group of lines that are read together, usually united around a common theme or idea. Stanzas can have regular rhyme and metrical schemes, but they are not required to have either. They are separated from other stanzas by line breaks and can be thought of as standalone units that can either make up an entire poem or can be used to divide and organize a poem. Stanzas provide structure, rhythm, shape, and organization to a poem. They are the pillars that support a poem and group similar ideas and thoughts together. There are many different forms of stanzas, ranging from simple four-line quatrains to more complex forms like the Spenserian stanza. Some common types of stanzas include couplets, tercets, quatrains, and sestets. Just like paragraphs in prose, stanzas guide the reader from one idea to the next.