What is Refrain?

A refrain is a line or part of a line or a group of lines which is repeated in the poem, usually at the end of each stanza. The refrain may sometimes appear with slight changes or modification.

The change or modification in the refrain some time may add to the intensity of feeling or strength of argument in the poem. A refrain may help to establish the meter of a poem, indicate its tone or re-establish its atmosphere. The refrains occur in many ballads and work poems and it is frequently found in Elizabethan songs. A famous refrain is that which closes each stanza. When a refrain is intended to be repeated or sung by a group of people, it is called a chorus.

Published on 24 Jan. 2014 by Kedar Nath Sharma