However, some common characteristics of poetry don't have to be present in every poem. These include:
* Rhyme: Many poems use rhyme, but many don't. Free verse poetry, for example, often does not rhyme.
* Meter: This refers to a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. While many traditional poems use meter, modern poetry often doesn't.
* Stanza structure: Poets can arrange lines in any way they choose, with or without specific stanza patterns.
What is almost always a characteristic of poetry?
* Figurative language: Poets use metaphors, similes, personification, and other figures of speech to create vivid imagery and deeper meaning.
* Conciseness: Poetry often uses fewer words than prose to convey complex ideas and emotions.
* Sound devices: Poetry uses alliteration, assonance, consonance, and other sound devices to create musicality and emphasize meaning.
So, to answer your question directly, it's hard to say what is *never* a characteristic of poetry. It depends on the poem!