What type of poem features an octave and a sestet?

• A. Sonnet
• B. Ballad
• C. Epic
• D. Lyric

Answer: (A)

The octave-and-sestet split is a defining feature of the sonnet, especially the Italian or Petrarchan form. In this arrangement, the eight-line section (the octave) often presents a situation, question, or emotional state, while the six-line section (the sestet) offers reflection, resolution, or response. A turning point, called the volta, typically occurs between the two parts, signaling the shift from problem to answer. The octave tends to follow a pattern like ABBAABBA, with the sestet ending in patterns such as CDECDE or CDCDCD, though exact rhymes can vary.

This structured, fourteen-line form sets it apart from other brief forms: a ballad relies on quatrains and refrains and usually tells a narrative; an epic is a long narrative poem; a lyric is expressive poetry not inherently tied to an octave–sestet division. So the description best fits the sonnet.