In poetry, a couplet ( / ˈ k ʌ p l ə t / CUP -lət ) or distich ( / ˈ d ɪ s t ɪ k / DISS -tick ) is a pair of lines that follow each other, rhyme, and have the same meter. A couplet can be formal (closed) or run-on (open). In a formal (closed) couplet, each line ends with a pause, meaning there is a stop at the end of each line. In a run-on (open) couplet, the meaning of the first line continues into the second line.

Background

The word "couplet" comes from the French word meaning "two pieces of iron joined or connected." The term "couplet" was first used to describe two lines of verse that follow each other in Sir P. Sidney's Arcadia in 1590: "In singing some short coplets, whereto the one halfe beginning, the other halfe should answere."

Couplets often rhyme, but they do not always have to. Poems may use spaces between lines to show couplets if they do not rhyme. When couplets are written in iambic pentameter, they are called heroic couplets. Writers like John Dryden in the 17th century and Alexander Pope in the 18th century were famous for using heroic couplets. The poetic form called an epigram is also written in couplets. Couplets can also be part of more complex poetry structures, such as sonnets.

Rhyming couplets are one of the simplest rhyme patterns in poetry. Because the rhyme appears quickly, it often draws attention to itself. Strong rhyming couplets often end with a clear and powerful idea, matching both the sound and meaning of the words. Here are examples of rhyming couplets where both the words and the ideas match:

On the other hand, rhyming couplets can feel forced or predictable because their rhyme pattern is so simple. Here is an example from Alexander Pope that shows how predictable rhymes can seem:

In English poetry

Regular rhyme was not originally part of English poetry. Old English verse used pairs of lines with similar rhythm, but these followed alliterative rules instead of rhyming. Rhyming couplets appeared in English poetry during the early Middle English period, influenced by medieval Latin and Old French poetry. The earliest known examples include a short-line rhyming version of the Lord's Prayer and the Poema Morale, written in septenary (or "heptameter") couplets, both from the twelfth century.

Rhyming couplets were common in Middle English and early modern English poetry. For example, Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is mostly written in rhyming couplets, and he also used a final couplet in his rhyme royal stanza. Shakespearean sonnets often ended with rhyming couplets to highlight the main idea. In Sonnet 18, for instance, the final lines form a rhyming couplet (shown in italics):

In the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, rhyming couplets reached their peak in English poetry, especially in heroic couplets. These were used by famous poets to translate important Classical works, such as John Dryden's translation of the Aeneid and Alexander Pope's translation of the Iliad.

Although some poets still use couplets, the form became less popular in English poetry during the twentieth century. Today, some English poets write unrhymed couplets, which are distinguished by their formatting rather than by matching sounds.

In Chinese poetry

Couplets called duilian can be found on doorways in Chinese communities around the world. During the Chinese New Year festival, these couplets are placed on doors on the first morning of the New Year and are called chunlian (春聯; 春联). They are usually bought at a market a few days before the festival and attached to the doorframe. The words on the couplets are often traditional and express wishes for good fortune. Some chunlian show more modern topics. For example, the CCTV New Year's Gala often features couplets that reflect current political themes in mainland China.

Some duilian have two lines, each with four characters. These couplets are read from top to bottom, with the first line starting from the right.

In Tamil poetry

Tamil literature includes important examples of ancient couplet poetry. The Tamil language has well-developed rules for writing couplets, and pairs of lines in Tamil poetry follow the venpa metre. One of the most well-known examples of Tamil couplet poetry is the ancient Tamil moral text called the Tirukkural. This text has 1330 couplets written in the kural venpa metre. The name "Tirukkural" comes from this metre. Each Kural couplet is composed of exactly 7 words—4 in the first line and 3 in the second. The first word may rhyme with the fourth or the fifth word. Below is an example of a couplet:

In Hindustani poetry

In Hindi, a couplet is called a doha. In Urdu, it is called a sher. Between the 12th and 18th centuries, couplets were the most common type of poetry in Hindustani. Famous poets from this time include Kabir, Tulsidas, and Rahim Khan-i-Khanan. Kabir, also known as Kabirdas, is believed to be one of the greatest composers of Hindustani couplets.

Distich

The American poet J. V. Cunningham was known for including many short two-line poems called distichs in his poetry collections. These distichs were part of longer poems called epigrams. An example of his work is as follows:

Deep summer, and time passes. Sorrow wastes To a new sorrow. While Time heals time hastes.