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Verse is writing that uses rhythm, vivid language, and often rhyme to create a lyrical effect and provoke an emotional response. It is distinguished from ordinary language by its distinctive patterning of sounds and rhythm. Verse can refer to a single line of metrical writing, a poem, or a body of metrical writing. It is the opposite of prose, which is ordinary language.1234

Verse can take various forms, including:
* Blank verse: Unrhymed verse, specifically unrhymed iambic pentameter.5
* Free verse: Verse whose meter is irregular or whose rhythm is not metrical, often resembling the rhythm of speech.6
* Verset: A short verse, especially from sacred texts, or a stanza form modeled on biblical verse, often expressing religious or patriotic sentiments.7

Verse has been a prominent form in dramatic literature, used by playwrights throughout history to enhance control over speech, movement, and audience response.8

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