Rhythm in poetry refers to the pattern of stresses within a line of verse. It is the beat or the flow of a poem, made up of beat and repetition, so it usually refers to features of sound. Rhythm is created by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line or verse. In poetry, pre-measured patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables are called meters. There are five basic rhythms of varying stressed and unstressed syllables: iambs, trochees, spondees, anapests, and dactyls. The most common meter in English poetry is iambic pentameter, which consists of five iambs per line.

To identify the rhythm in a poem, one must analyze the number of syllables in the line and the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables. Rhythm is most easily identified through listening. In poetry, the beat is the pattern of stresses within a line of verse. Rhythm can help to strengthen the meaning of words and ideas in a poem.