Final answer:
A stanza is a section into which long poems are divided, acting like paragraphs in prose, that contributes significantly to the poem's structure and meaning.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the sections into which certain long poems are divided is called a stanza. A stanza functions similarly to a paragraph in prose. Poems like Wordsworth's "I wandered lonely as a cloud" have multiple stanzas. A stanza may contain varying numbers of lines, and the way these lines are grouped can have a profound effect on the meaning and rhythm of the poem. For example, a couplet is a stanza of two lines, and a quatrain is a stanza of four lines. Understanding why a poet has grouped lines into stanzas can give insight into the poem's message and structure.
Furthermore, stanzas play a significant role in dictating how a poem is read and understood. They create a visual and auditory unity or separation, contributing to the poem's overall impact. Different poetic forms use variations of stanzas to create distinct styles and structures, such as a ballad written in quatrains or a villanelle composed of five tercets.