When you visit an eye doctor, they use a phoropter, flipping through lenses to find the combination that brings the world into sharp focus. “Is this better, or is this better?” With the wrong lens, text blurs; with the right one, letters sharpen and reading becomes effortless.
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Reading a poem’s meter aloud offers a similar test for your ears. Consider the famous opening line of William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18. Which reading sounds more natural, more aligned with the poem’s intended rhythm?
“shall I comPARE thee TO a SUMmer’s DAY?”
or
“SHALL i COMpare THEE to A sumMER’s day?”
Most readers instinctively choose the first option. Or take the opening of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”:
“ONCE upON a MIDnight DREARy, WHILE i PONdered WEAK and WEARy”?
or
“once upON a MIDnight drear-Y, while I ponDERED weak AND wear-Y”?
Again, the first reading sounds correct. The reason is simple: the first reading matches the inherent poetic meter of each line. The second readings disrupt this natural rhythm, sounding awkward and forced. But how do we define and describe this difference?
What is Poetic Meter?
At its core, the meter of a poem refers to the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables within its lines. Think of it as the poem’s heartbeat or underlying pulse. English words naturally consist of both stressed and unstressed syllables (e.g., “aBOVE,” “HAPpy”). Poets arrange these syllables into repeating units called “feet.” These feet, combined in a line, create the poem’s meter. Understanding these feet and how they are assembled is key to determining what’s the meter of a poem.
Iambic Pentameter
The most common way to analyze meter is through a process called scansion, marking syllables as either stressed (often with a “/” or “_”) or unstressed (often with a “u” or “x”).
Understanding Common Poetic Feet
Poetic feet are the building blocks of meter. While there are many types, four are particularly common in English poetry:
The Iamb
An iamb is a two-syllable foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da DUM). It’s the most prevalent foot in English verse because it closely mimics natural speech patterns.
Shakespeare’s line, “shall I comPARE thee TO a SUMmer’s DAY?” consists of five iambs:
shall I / comPARE / thee TO / a SUM / mer’s DAY?
(u / | u / | u / | u / | u /)
The Trochee
The opposite of the iamb, a trochee is a two-syllable foot with a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (DA dum).
Poe’s “The Raven” often employs trochees. Consider the line:
ONCE up / ON a / MIDnight / DREARy
(/ u | / u | / u | / u)
This gives the poem a distinct, often mournful or insistent rhythm.
The Anapest
An anapest is a three-syllable foot with two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (da da DUM). This foot often creates a galloping or driving rhythm.
Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” opens with lines featuring anapests:
Twas the NIGHT / before CHRIST / mas when ALL / through the HOUSE
(u u / | u u / | u u / | u u /)
The Dactyl
The inverse of the anapest, a dactyl is a three-syllable foot with a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (DA dum dum). This foot is associated with classical epic poetry.
anapestic tetrameter
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used dactyls in his epic poem “Evangeline”:
THIS is the / FORest pri / MEval, the / MURmuring / PINES and the / HEMlocks.
(/ u u | / u u | / u u | / u u | / u u | / u u)
Putting Feet Together: Common Meters
The number of feet in a line determines the second part of the meter’s name. Common line lengths use Greek prefixes:
- Monameter: 1 foot
- Dimeter: 2 feet
- Trimeter: 3 feet
- Tetrameter: 4 feet
- Pentameter: 5 feet
- Hexameter: 6 feet
- Heptameter: 7 feet
- Octameter: 8 feet
Combining the foot type and the number of feet gives us the meter’s name. We’ve already seen examples:
- Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18: Five iambs per line = Iambic Pentameter. This is the most common meter in English poetry, famously used in sonnets and blank verse.
- Poe’s “The Raven”: Eight trochees per line = Trochaic Octameter. While the first line shown above has four feet, many lines in “The Raven” utilize eight, contributing to its unique, driving rhythm.
- Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas”: Four anapests per line = Anapestic Tetrameter.
- Longfellow’s “Evangeline”: Six dactyls per line = Dactylic Hexameter.
trochaic octameter
Meter in Modern Contexts
While meter is often associated with classical or traditional poetry, its principles are alive and well, even in modern music. As the original article notes, contemporary rap artists often use rhythmic patterns that echo traditional feet. Consider the rhythm in some lines from Migos’ song “Versace”:
DROWnin’ in / COMpliments, / POOL in the / BACKyard that / LOOK like Me / TROPolis
(/ u u | / u u | / u u | / u u | / u u | / u u)
Born in To / RONto, but / SOMEtimes I / FEEL like A / TLANta a / DOPTed us
(u u / | u u / | u u / | u u / | u u / | u u /)
These lines feature patterns remarkably similar to dactylic hexameter (stressed followed by two unstressed) and anapestic hexameter (two unstressed followed by stressed), demonstrating that the rhythmic interplay of syllables remains a powerful tool for artists today. Understanding these rhythmic structures helps us appreciate the sonic artistry in various forms. For instance, even a simple two-line stanza, known as a whats a couplet poem, often relies on a consistent meter to create its sense of completeness and musicality.
dactylic hexameter
Why Meter Matters: Meter Breaks and Interpretation
Identifying a poem’s dominant meter allows you to read it with a more natural rhythm. But the significance of meter goes beyond just pronunciation; it’s a crucial element of a poem’s meaning and effect. Poets often establish a base meter only to deviate from it deliberately. These moments where the meter breaks from the expected pattern are frequently places of emphasis or thematic significance.
Consider the opening lines of John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost.” The poem is largely written in blank verse, which is unrhymed iambic pentameter. Read the lines below and listen for where the expected da DUM rhythm of iambic pentameter seems to falter:
Paradise Lost opening Lines
“Of Mans First DisObeDIENCE, and the FRUIT
Of THAT ForBIDden TREE, whose MORtal TAST
Brought DEATH inTO the WORLD, and ALL our WOE“
The first line, “Of Mans First DisObeDIENCE, and the FRUIT,” presents a notable metrical variation right at the start. While the line could be read to force an iambic rhythm (Of MANS / First DIS / oBE / diENCE / and the FRUIT), the natural stresses of “Mans First Disobedience” resist this. The word “Disobedience” itself is long and complex, forcing a different rhythm. Milton scholar likely debated the precise scansion here, but the key is that the opening line immediately feels different, heavier, perhaps, than a perfect iambic line.
When you encounter such a deviation, ask why the poet might have broken the meter at that specific point. What word is emphasized? What emotion or idea is highlighted by the disruption? In Milton’s case, starting with a metrical variation on “Disobedience” immediately draws attention to the poem’s central theme – the act that causes humanity’s fall. Analyzing these breaks can unlock deeper layers of meaning and contribute significantly to your interpretation of the work. It’s another way to determine what’s the meter of a poem and, more importantly, why that meter matters.
Dactyl Meter 2
By learning to identify poetic feet and common meters, you gain a powerful tool for engaging with poetry on a deeper level. You move beyond simply reading words on a page to hearing the underlying music and understanding how the poet uses rhythm to shape meaning and evoke emotion. So, the next time you read a poem, try listening for its meter – it might just change the way you experience the words.