Final answer:
A volta is a dramatic change in a poem that signifies a shift in thought or emotion, often found in sonnet forms. It traditionally occurs between the octet and sestet in sonnets, although its placement can vary in contemporary poetry.
Step-by-step explanation:
A volta, or a turn, is a dramatic change in a poem. In sonnet forms, such as the Shakespearean or Petrarchan sonnet, the volta signifies a shift in thought, emotion, or rhetoric, typically occurring between the octet and the sestet or at a predetermined point in the structure. To identify the volta in a poem, readers should note transitions in narrative or lyrical modes, tone, and perspective.
Classic poem forms, like sonnets, use strict rules concerning meter, rhyme, and repetition, but can vary in their structure. The volta is an integral feature of sonnet structure, and while it is traditionally placed after the eighth line in a Petrarchan sonnet, or before the final couplet in a Shakespearean sonnet, contemporary poetry may present the volta in more varied forms.