What is the term for a natural pause or break in a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation?

A natural pause or break in a line of poetry is known as a caesura. This term refers specifically to a deliberate pause that occurs within a line, often indicated by punctuation such as a comma, period, or dash. The use of caesura can create a pause for emphasis, rhythm, or to enhance the emotional impact of the poem.

Other terms listed are related to poetry but refer to different concepts. A couplet consists of two consecutive lines of poetry that typically rhyme. A stanza is a grouped set of lines within a poem, often sharing a common rhyme scheme or meter. The rhyme scheme refers to the pattern of rhyme at the ends of lines in a poem, defining the structure of its sound rather than the natural pauses within individual lines. Recognizing these distinctions helps to deepen the understanding of poetic structure and effect.