Metre Class

The aim is for students to be able to write metrical poems in the four principal metres, and to infiltrate metrical passages into free verse if required. To understand the essential differences between metrical, syllabic and free forms of poetry. To be capable of scanning a poem to establish the metre in which it is written (useful when reviewing, or in certain cases voting for poems in contests).

Shown as week #/session # The class involves 9 meetings on line. The actual coverage in each class may vary dependent upon student's requirements.

1/1 Why metred and syllabic poetry is different. Shorthand styles for recording metre. The musicality of metre. Reading assignment.
2/2 Discuss Reading Assignment. Anapaestic and Dactylic metre analysed. Variations that are acceptable. Writing assignment.
2/3 Review written assignments. Types of poetry suited to these metres. Writing assigment.
3rd Week NO CLASSES
3/4 Review written assignments. Iambic and Trochaic metre analysed. Writing assigment.
3/5 Review written assignments. Types of poetry suited to these metres. Writing assigment.
4/6 Review written assignments. Insertion of metred passages into free verse.Writing assigment.
4/7 Review written assignments. Metre recognition, reading and writing assignments. Writing assignment
5/8 Review written assignments. Other feet named with their syllabic stresses, reading and writing assignments
5/9 Review written assignments and general discussion session. No Assignments.





Instructor: James Bartlett

About The Instructor: Jim Bartlett is an ex-Royal Marine Officer, and retired teacher, with a good honours degree in Education, and English and Drama, from London University. He has been a member of a local poetry group in South Wales where he currently lives alone in a redundant farm house.

Jim started writing while serving with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden in the mid 1960s. At that time he was writing mainly song lyrics but later moved on to poetry after studying it on his degree course, which he undertook as a mature student between 1972 and 1976.

He has been published in poetry magazines and newspapers from time to time. In 2005 he produced a CD of self-penned songs under the title of "Tomorrow Never Comes", and published a poetry collection of thirty-six poems in 2012 entitled, "Triple Dozen" prior to joining FanStory in March 2015. His songs and poems have won several competitions.

Jim has also lectured on English Folk Lore and Song for the WEA in SE London in the late 1970s. He was urged to enrol as an instructor on FanStory by many who found his reviews of their poetry particularly helpful.