Classical Chinese poetry forms developing a complete poetic concept; this is, indeed, especially the case with the five-character line version. Also known as the Five-character-quatrain, this form of regulated verse is characterized by four lines of five characters each. Also known as the Seven-character-quatrain, this is a form of regulated verse with four lines of seven characters each. While embracing all, or most of, the "lushi" rules and regulations the "pailu" allows for a number of linked couplets with no maximum upward limit. A strict emphasis on formal parallelism is typical of the "pailu" form. Poems based on traditional structures, originally meant as lyrics
Spenserian stanza Spenserian stanza The Spenserian stanza is a fixed verse form invented by Edmund Spenser for his epic poem "The Faerie Queene" (1590–96). Each stanza contains nine lines in total: eight lines in iambic pentameter followed by a single 'alexandrine' line in iambic hexameter. The rhyme scheme of these lines is ABABBCBCC. This example is the first stanza from Spenser's "Faerie Queene". The formatting, wherein all lines but the first and last are indented, is the same as in contemporary printed editions. <poem> Lo I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske, Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song.