volta
Say it: VOL-tuh /ˈvɒltə/ · noun
What “volta” means
A point where a poem changes its thought or direction.
More precisely: A turn in thought or argument within a poem, especially a sonnet.
Example: “The volta comes at line nine, where grief turns into gratitude.”
When to use it
In poetry analysis, especially of sonnets, when identifying a shift in the speaker's thought, feeling or argument.
Memory trick
Volta means 'turn' in Italian: the poem turns towards a new thought.
Similar words
turn, shift, pivot
Where it comes from
Italian, 'turn'.
Quick check
Halfway through a poem, the speaker stops blaming winter and begins celebrating its quiet beauty. What is that turn?
a refrain or a volta?
Show the answer
a volta
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