Ballad form & structure Form line count | varies stanza | quatrain (4 lines) rhyme scheme | usually ABAB or ABCB meter | alternating iambic tetrameter & trimeter refrain | common, but not required The ballad is a narrative poem traditionally written in quatrains. The rhyme scheme often follows ABAB or ABCB, and the meter typically alternates between eight syllables (iambic tetrameter) and six syllables (iambic trimeter). Many ballads include a repeated refrain. However, the true focus of a ballad is to tell a story in a rhythmic, lyrical way.