As a literary expert with a deep understanding of poetic forms, I can provide a comprehensive answer to your question about the structure of tercets. A tercet is a three-line stanza, a division of a poem that consists of exactly three lines of verse. Tercets can be found in a variety of poetic forms, each with its own set of rules regarding rhyme and meter.

One of the most well-known types of tercets is the Shakespearean tercet, which is a part of the Shakespearean sonnet structure. In this form, the tercet follows a quatrain (four lines) and typically has a rhyme scheme of ABA. This means that the first and third lines of the tercet rhyme with each other, while the second line stands alone. The Shakespearean sonnet is made up of three quatrains followed by a final rhymed tercet, with the overall rhyme scheme being ABABCDCDEFEFGG.

Another example is the haiku, a form of traditional Japanese poetry that also consists of a three-line stanza. However, unlike the Shakespearean tercet, the haiku does not follow a strict rhyme scheme. Instead, it focuses on a syllable pattern, typically 5-7-5, where the first line has five syllables, the second line has seven, and the third line concludes with five syllables again.

The reference you provided about a triplet being another type of tercet is a bit misleading. While a triplet can refer to a three-line stanza, it is not a distinct term commonly used in the study of poetry. The term tercet is the correct term for a three-line stanza. The rhyme scheme AAA mentioned is not a standard rhyme scheme for tercets in traditional poetry. Instead, it is more commonly associated with a specific type of stanza where all three lines rhyme with each other, but this is not a standard feature of tercets.

An enclosed tercet, as mentioned, typically follows a rhyme scheme of ABA. This is a common feature in many forms of poetry, including the aforementioned Shakespearean sonnet. The enclosed tercet often serves as a concluding statement or a twist in the narrative, rounding out the poem after the quatrains have set the stage.

In summary, a tercet is a three-line stanza that can appear in various forms of poetry, each with its own rules regarding rhyme and meter. The most common rhyme schemes for tercets are ABA and, in the case of the haiku, a non-rhyming pattern with a syllable count of 5-7-5. The term triplet is not a standard term for a three-line stanza, and the rhyme scheme AAA is not typical for tercets but rather for specific types of stanzas where all lines rhyme with each other.

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A triplet is another type of tercet, but it has the rhyme scheme AAA, so that all three lines in the stanza rhyme with each other. An enclosed tercet must have the rhyme scheme ABA.read more >>