diff --git a/src/parsers/poetry.ts b/src/parsers/poetry.ts
index 0fca859..fe5fae7 100644
--- a/src/parsers/poetry.ts
+++ b/src/parsers/poetry.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@ import { encodeAttr, wrap } from '../utils'
 
 export const poetry: ParserDef = {
   name: 'poetry',
-  regex: /(?:^|\n+)(?:\t| {2,})(?<content>.+)+\n*/,
+  regex: /(?:^|\n+)(?:\t| {4})(?<content>.+)+\n*/,
   handler: ({ content }) => `<pre class="code poetry">${wrap('code', encodeAttr(content))}</pre>`,
 }
diff --git a/test/codeQuotes.test.ts b/test/codeQuotes.test.ts
index 22b872f..7701c89 100644
--- a/test/codeQuotes.test.ts
+++ b/test/codeQuotes.test.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,28 @@ describe('code & quotes', () => {
     )
   })
 
+  test('parses tabs as a code poetry block & retains inner tabs', () => {
+    expect(starkdown('\t\tvar a = 1')).toEqual(
+      '<pre class="code poetry"><code>\tvar a = 1</code></pre>'
+    )
+  })
+
+  test('does not parses two spaces as a code poetry block', () => {
+    expect(starkdown('  var a = 1')).toEqual('<p>var a = 1</p>')
+  })
+
+  test('parses four spaces as a code poetry block', () => {
+    expect(starkdown('    var a = 1')).toEqual(
+      '<pre class="code poetry"><code>var a = 1</code></pre>'
+    )
+  })
+
+  test('parses four spaces as a code poetry block & retains inner spaces', () => {
+    expect(starkdown('      var a = 1')).toEqual(
+      '<pre class="code poetry"><code>  var a = 1</code></pre>'
+    )
+  })
+
   test('escapes code/quote blocks', () => {
     expect(starkdown('```\n<foo>\n```')).toEqual(
       '<pre class="code "><code>&lt;foo&gt;</code></pre>'