Stanzas

Rhymed Phrases - e.g., (a)(a) or (b)(b) - are the same length (i.e., contain the same number of stressed syllables) and have the
same, masculine or feminine ending. They should not be separated by more than two, intervening phrases.

Unrhymed Phrases - e.g., (a)(b) - may be the same, or different lengths and may have the same, or different, masculine or feminine
endings. A phrase which is unrhymed with any other phrase is denoted by (x).

Quatrains
A quatrain is stable, self-contained and complete if its last phrase rhymes with a preceding phrase. For example:

(a)(a)(a)(a)
(a)(a)(b)(b) or (x)(x)(a)(a)
(a)(b)(a)(b) or (x)(a)(x)(a)
(a)(b)(b)(a) or (a)(x)(x)(a)
(x)(a)(a)(a) or (a)(x)(a)(a) or (a)(a)(x)(a)

A quatrain whose last phrase is unrhymed is unstable and incomplete, requiring a repetition of the same quatrain. For example:

[(a)(a)(a)(b)] [(a)(a)(a)(b)]
[(a)(a)(x)(b)] [(a)(a)(x)(b)]
[(a)(x)(a)(b)] [(a)(x)(a)(b)]
[(x)(a)(a)(b)] [(x)(a)(a)(b)]

Quintains
When an extra phrase is added to a quatrain to form a quintain, it is important to avoid a perfect cadence at the end of the quatrain.

The added phrase may rhyme with the second phrase of the quatrain. For example:

(a)(a)(b)(b)(a) or (a)(a)(x)(x)(a)
(a)(b)(a)(a)(b) or (x)(a)(b)(b)(a)
(a)(b)(a)(x)(b) or (a)(b)(x)(a)(b)

The added phrase may rhyme with the third phrase of the quatrain. For example:

(a)(a)(a)(x)(a) or (a)(x)(a)(x)(a) or (x)(a)(a)(x)(a) or (a)(a)(b)(x)(b)

(a)(a)(b)(a)(b) or (a)(b)(b)(a)(b) or (a)(b)(a)(b)(a) or (x)(a)(b)(a)(b) or (a)(x)(b)(a)(b)

The added phrase may rhyme with the fourth phrase of the quatrain. For example:

(a)(a)(a)(a)(a)
(a)(a)(b)(b)(b) or (x)(x)(a)(a)(a)
(a)(b)(a)(b)(b) or (x)(a)(x)(a)(a)
(a)(b)(b)(a)(a) or (a)(x)(x)(a)(a)
(x)(a)(a)(a)(a) or (a)(x)(a)(a)(a) or (a)(a)(x)(a)(a)
(a)(a)(a)(b)(b) or (a)(a)(x)(b)(b) or (a)(x)(a)(b)(b) or (x)(a)(a)(b)(b)
Sestets
A quatrain may have an internal, rhyming couplet that rhymes with its third phrase to form a sestet (3+2+1). For example:

[(a)(a)(b)] [(b)(b)] [(b)] or [(x)(x)(a)] [(a)(a)] [(a)]

[(a)(b)(a)] [(a)(a)] [(b)] or [(x)(a)(b)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]
[(a)(b)(b)] [(b)(b)] [(a)] or [(a)(x)(b)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]
[(x)(a)(a)] [(a)(a)] [(a)] or [(a)(x)(a)] [(a)(a)] [(a)] or [(a)(a)(b)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]

A quatrain may have an internal, rhyming couplet of new material to form a sestet (3+2+1). For example:

[(a)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]

[(a)(a)(b)] [(c)(c)] [(b)] or [(x)(x)(a)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]
[(a)(b)(a)] [(c)(c)] [(b)] or [(x)(a)(x)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]
[(a)(b)(b)] [(c)(c)] [(a)] or [(a)(x)(x)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]
[(x)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)] [(a)] or [(a)(x)(a)] [(b)(b)] [(a)] or [(a)(a)(x)] [(b)(b)] [(a)]

A quatrain may be followed by a rhyming couplet of new material to form a sestet (4+2). For example:

[(a)(a)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)]
[(a)(a)(b)(b)] [(c)(c)] or [(x)(x)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)]
[(a)(b)(a)(b)] [(c)(c)] or [(x)(a)(x)(a)] [(b)(b)]
[(a)(b)(b)(a)] [(c)(c)] or [(a)(x)(x)(a)] [(b)(b)]
[(x)(a)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)] or [(a)(x)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)] or [(a)(a)(x)(a)] [(b)(b)]

FROM HERE!!!!!

A sestet may subdivide into a binary form (3+3). For example:

[(a)(a)(a)] [(a)(a)(a)] or [(a)(a)(a)] [(b)(b)(b)]

[(a)(b)(b)] [(a)(b)(b)] or [(a)(b)(b)] [(a)(c)(c)]
[(a)(a)(b)] [(a)(a)(b)] or [(a)(a)(b)] [(c)(c)(b)]
[(a)(b)(c)] [(a)(b)(c)] or [(x)(a)(b)] [(x)(a)(b)] or [(x)(x)(a)] [(x)(x)(a)]

A sestet may arise from extensions, in which case, sequences are often helpful. For example:
abccba

[(a)(a)(a)(b)] [(a)(b)] or [(a)(b)(a)(a)] [(a)(b)]

[(a)(b)(a)(b)] [(a)(b)] or [(x)(a)x)(a)] [(x)(a)]
[(a)(a)(a)(b)] [(a)(b)]

A sestet may be unfragmented, as in a terza rima. For example:

(a)(b)(a)(b)(x)(b)
(a)(b)(a)(c)(a)(c)