Want to add a rhythmic pulse to your poetry? Mastering meter is key. This guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to writing in iambic pentameter, a common and versatile meter in English poetry. Whether you’re crafting blank verse or exploring other poetic forms, understanding meter can significantly enhance your writing.
Contents
Understanding Iambic Pentameter
Before diving in, let’s review what “iambic pentameter” means:
- Iamb: An iamb is a metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM).
- Pentameter: “Penta” signifies five. Pentameter means a line has five metrical feet.
Therefore, a line of iambic pentameter contains five iambs, resulting in a ten-syllable rhythm: da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM.
Writing in Iambic Pentameter: A Practical Example
Let’s illustrate the process with a real-world example, focusing on the keyword “Write Meter.”
1. Start with a Sentence
Begin with a simple sentence, focusing on the content you want to convey. Don’t worry about the meter just yet. For instance:
The poet wants to write meter in their verse.
2. Scan the Sentence
Next, scan the sentence to identify the stressed and unstressed syllables. Mark stressed syllables with a forward slash (/) and unstressed syllables with an “x.”
x / x / x / x / x /
The PO-et WANTS to WRITE ME-ter IN their VERSE.
3. Identify Existing Iambs
Look for existing iambs or near-iambs within your sentence. In our example, “to WRITE” and “their VERSE” are perfect iambs.
4. Adjust and Refine
Now, the real work begins. We need to manipulate the sentence to conform to perfect iambic pentameter. This involves adding, deleting, or substituting words, and sometimes rearranging word order.
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Problem: “The PO-et WANTS to” has a trochee (stressed-unstressed) followed by an iamb.
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Solution: Let’s replace “wants” with “yearns,” creating two iambs: “The PO-et YEARNS to.”
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Problem: “ME-ter IN” is an iamb followed by a single stressed syllable.
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Solution: Add an unstressed syllable before “in.” We could use “softly in,” creating a new iamb: “ME-ter SOFT-ly IN.”
Our revised line now reads:
The PO-et YEARNS to WRITE ME-ter SOFT-ly IN their VERSE.
5. Continue the Process
To write a complete poem in iambic pentameter, repeat these steps for subsequent lines, maintaining the rhythmic pattern.
The Benefits of Writing Meter
Mastering meter offers several advantages:
- Enhanced Musicality: Meter creates a rhythmic pulse, adding a musical quality to your poetry.
- Increased Precision: The constraints of meter encourage careful word choice and concise expression.
- Structural Foundation: Meter provides a structural framework, helping to shape and organize your poem.
Beyond Iambic Pentameter
While iambic pentameter is a great starting point, explore other metrical patterns like trochaic tetrameter, spondaic hexameter, and anapestic dimeter to diversify your poetic toolkit. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Breaking the rules strategically can create interesting effects. Understanding how meter works allows you to use it effectively, whether you adhere to it strictly or use it as a foundation for more free-flowing verse.
Practice Makes Perfect
Like any skill, writing meter takes practice. Start with simple sentences, gradually working your way up to more complex lines and eventually entire poems. The more you practice, the more natural it will become. Analyze the meter of your favorite poems. This will help you internalize the rhythms and patterns of different meters, enhancing your own writing.