What is a refrain in poetry?
A refrain in poetry is a line or group of lines repeated at regular intervals, often at the end of stanzas. This repetition adds rhythm and emphasis, helping to reinforce the poem’s mood or central theme.
For example, in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” the repeated word “Nevermore” creates a haunting, melancholic mood and underscores the finality of death—the idea that what’s lost is gone forever and will never return.
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