A quatrain is a stanza or poem that consists of four lines. It is one of the most common and versatile forms of poetry and can follow a variety of rhyme schemes, such as:

abab (alternating rhyme)
aabb (rhyming couplets)
abcb (ballad stanza)
abba (enclosed rhyme)
Quatrains can be written in different meters, including iambic pentameter or iambic tetrameter, depending on the style and tradition. They are often used in larger poems or as standalone poems and can convey complete ideas or narratives in their concise form.

Famous examples of quatrains can be found in sonnets, ballads, and various poetic traditions across cultures.

Here is a four stanza quatrain in iambic pentameter, also known as Decasyllabic quatrain.

Song of the Sea
The stars above, like ancient eyes, behold
The endless dance of waters far below,
Where mysteries in depths of blue unfold,
As winds above in fleeting whispers blow.

A sailor’s heart, adrift in dreams untold,
Finds solace in the quiet, gentle pull—
The sea, a mirror of the soul’s own mold,
Reflects its waves both turbulent and full.

Upon the shore, the footprints fade away,
Yet in the air, a song remains in flight,
Where every note is made of fleeting play,
A tune that echoes softly through the night.

The sea can cage you or can set you free,
Its power endless, wild, and near,
To find its song is all we truly need,
To grasp and hold what we once held so dear.