Poetry is an art form built on rhythm and sound as much as meaning. One of the fundamental elements contributing to a poem’s sonic structure is poetic meter. Just as a musician uses time signatures and rhythms, poets use meter to create a predictable pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables within a line of verse. Recognizing and understanding meter can profoundly enhance a reader’s appreciation of a poem, revealing layers of artistic choice and adding a musicality to the words. Let’s explore some key concepts and Example Of Poetic Meter found in classic and contemporary works.
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The human ear naturally seeks patterns. In poetry, these patterns are often built from “feet,” which are recurring units of stressed and unstressed syllables. Different combinations of these syllables create different types of feet, and the number of feet in a line determines the meter. Mastering the ability to scan a poem – marking its stressed and unstressed syllables to identify the meter – is like training your ear to hear the poem’s underlying rhythm.
The Building Blocks of Meter: Poetic Feet
The most common way to analyze meter in English poetry is by identifying the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Words themselves carry inherent stresses (e.g., “PO-et-ry,” “UN-der-STAND”). Poets arrange these words to create a consistent rhythm. The basic unit of this rhythm is called a “foot.”
The Iamb: The Heartbeat of English Verse
The iamb is arguably the most common metrical foot in English poetry. It consists of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (da DUM). This rhythm feels very natural to English speakers, mimicking the sound of a heartbeat or simple walking.
Consider the opening line of William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18:
“Shall I comPARE thee TO a SUMmer’s DAY?”
Scanning this line reveals five iambs:
Shall I | comPARE | thee TO | a SUM | mer’s DAY?
(da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM)
Since there are five iambs, the meter is called iambic pentameter (“penta” means five). Many beautiful poems in English are written in this meter, from Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays to Milton’s epics and Wordsworth’s lyrics.
The Trochee: Inverted Rhythm
The trochee is the opposite of the iamb: one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (DA dum). While less common as the dominant foot in long English poems, it appears frequently, often at the beginning of lines or poems to create a strong, emphatic start.
Edgar Allan Poe masterfully used trochees in his poem “The Raven.” Look at the first line:
“ONCE upON a MIDnight DREARy, WHILE i PONdered WEAK and WEARy”
Scanning this line reveals a pattern of stressed followed by unstressed syllables:
ONCE up | ON a | MID night | DREAR y, | WHILE i | PON dered | WEAK and | WEAR y
(DA dum | DA dum | DA dum | DA dum | DA dum | DA dum | DA dum | DA dum)
This line contains eight trochees. The meter is trochaic octameter (“octo” or “octa” means eight). The insistent, falling rhythm of the trochee contributes significantly to the poem’s dark, brooding mood.
Iambic Pentameter
Understanding the visual pattern of an iambic foot can help in scanning lines.
The Anapest: Triple Rising
Moving beyond two-syllable feet, the anapest consists of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (da da DUM). This creates a galloping or rushing rhythm.
Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (also known as “The Night Before Christmas”) provides a clear example:
“Twas the NIGHT before CHRISTmas when all through the HOUSE”
Scanning this reveals the anapestic pattern:
Twas the NIGHT | before CHRIST | mas when all | through the HOUSE
(da da DUM | da da DUM | da da DUM | da da DUM)
There are four anapests in this line, making the meter anapestic tetrameter (“tetra” means four). This light, quick rhythm is perfect for the poem’s festive and narrative tone.
trochaic octameter
The trochee offers an inverted rhythm compared to the iamb, starting with the stress.
The Dactyl: Triple Falling
The dactyl is the opposite of the anapest: one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (DA dum dum). This foot is less common in English poetry than the iamb or trochee, but it carries a distinct, often weighty or classical feel.
The Greek poet Homer used dactylic hexameter extensively in his epics The Iliad and The Odyssey. English poets sometimes use this meter to allude to this classical tradition. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow employed it in his epic poem “Evangeline”:
“THIS is the | FORest pri | ME val, the | MURmuring | PINES and the | HEMlocks”
Scanning this line shows six dactyls (though sometimes lines substitute a spondee – two stressed syllables – for a dactyl, especially in the sixth foot). This is dactylic hexameter (“hexa” means six).
Interestingly, the dactyl has seen a resurgence in modern forms like rap music. Consider the lyrics from Migos’s song “Versace”:
“DROWnin’ in | COMpli ments, | POOL in the | BACK yard that | LOOK like Me | TROpo lis”
The rhythm here mirrors the dactylic hexameter of ancient epics, demonstrating how classical meters can appear in surprising contemporary contexts.
anapestic tetrameter
The anapest introduces a three-syllable foot with a rising rhythm.
The Significance of Meter Breaks
While poets often establish a dominant meter, they frequently introduce variations or “breaks” in the pattern. These deviations are not mistakes but deliberate artistic choices. A sudden shift in rhythm can draw attention to a particular word or phrase, emphasize a change in mood or subject, or mimic the natural irregularities of speech.
Consider the opening lines of John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost,” which is written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter):
“Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe”
While the overall pattern is iambic pentameter, the first line might be scanned differently by some readers, potentially starting with a stress on “Of” (“OF Mans | First Dis | oBE dience…”). Such variations, especially at crucial points like the very beginning of an epic about humanity’s fall, invite interpretation. Why might Milton break the expected rhythm here? Does it emphasize the weight of the subject? Does it reflect the initial disorder introduced by disobedience?
Analyzing where and why a poet deviates from the established meter can unlock deeper meanings and appreciate the poet’s craft. It’s a powerful tool for analysis, moving beyond just identifying the pattern to understanding its purpose and effect.
dactylic hexameter
Dactylic meter, starting with a stress and followed by two unstressed syllables, gives a falling rhythm.
Conclusion
Understanding poetic meter and being able to identify different feet and patterns is a valuable skill for any poetry enthusiast. From the steady beat of iambic pentameter in Shakespeare to the rapid flow of anapestic tetrameter in Moore and the classical echoes of dactylic hexameter in Longfellow and even modern rap, meter is a vital part of a poem’s musicality and meaning. By practicing listening for these rhythms and analyzing where they hold or break, readers can connect with poems on a deeper, more resonant level, appreciating the artistry woven into every line. Keep listening for the pulse of the poem – it’s always there, guiding your ear and enhancing your understanding.
Dactyl Meter 2
Modern music, like rap, also incorporates metrical patterns, sometimes echoing classical forms like the dactyl.
References
Malewitz, Raymond. “What is Poetic Meter?” Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms, 20 Apr. 2020, Oregon State University, https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-poetic-meter.