Coupure (French for “cut”) in poetry denotes a deliberate syntactic or rhythmic break—often mid-line—that creates tension, surprise, or emphasis by disrupting expected flow; akin to caesura but more abrupt, coupure is central to modernist fragmentation and surrealist juxtaposition, as in the jarring line breaks of Apollinaire’s calligrammes or the disjunctive stanzas of contemporary experimental verse that privilege rupture over continuity.

French "cut"; abrupt line break or interruption. Creates dramatic effect. Related to enjambment but more violent. Tip: Look for sentences severed mid-thought for emphasis or shock.