Iambic Meter: How To
or; Word Wrestling for the Uninitiated25 total reviews
Comment from sweetwoodjax
this is very well written, fleedleflump, you did a great job writing this poem, i wish they would come up with an iambic dictionary so if i wanted to write a sonnet, i could just go to the dictionary. my southern speaking gets me in trouble with meter. take retired for instance--i pronounce it re--tired (2 syllables) other people say re--ty--erd (3 syllables) so i am always going to get into trouble with meter
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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this is very well written, fleedleflump, you did a great job writing this poem, i wish they would come up with an iambic dictionary so if i wanted to write a sonnet, i could just go to the dictionary. my southern speaking gets me in trouble with meter. take retired for instance--i pronounce it re--tired (2 syllables) other people say re--ty--erd (3 syllables) so i am always going to get into trouble with meter
Comment Written 14-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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Thank you, SWJ :-)
I'm forever in debates over syllable counts. You've touched on one of the key ones here. It's that 'ya' sound, which some enunciate and others don't. I gave up using 'fire' as 2 syllables because so many people said it was one, but my head will always pronounce it 'fi-ya'. When I researched it, I found it's classed as a soft syllable, and can be counted or not depending on accent and dialect. There are others too, but that's the main one. Of course, people still insist their dictionary says it's one syllable, ignorant of the obvious ambiguity, but that's their loss :-)
Mike
Comment from mtnspirit
Hi Fleedleflump,
I am pleased you decided to do this. I love poetry but have so much to learn. I read this several times and found it to be very informative. I hope you decide to do more. Thank you for sharing.
reply by the author on 14-Sep-2012
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Hi Fleedleflump,
I am pleased you decided to do this. I love poetry but have so much to learn. I read this several times and found it to be very informative. I hope you decide to do more. Thank you for sharing.
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 14-Sep-2012
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Thanks very much, MTN :-). I'm thinking of doing a sonnet article, with reference to this one for the meter element. I'm glad it proved informative.
Mike
Comment from janalma
Very good and clearly explained. I always like examples and you have supplied them. I have never tried to write a sonnet, but I think with your guidance here, I might just have to try. Appreciate the info. Because this sounds professional to me and I could imagine reading in a magazine on poetry and literature, it deserves this six.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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Very good and clearly explained. I always like examples and you have supplied them. I have never tried to write a sonnet, but I think with your guidance here, I might just have to try. Appreciate the info. Because this sounds professional to me and I could imagine reading in a magazine on poetry and literature, it deserves this six.
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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Thanks so much for this vote of confidence, Jan. I really appreciate it. I love sharing knowledge, and it's great to know this came in useful.
Mike
Comment from I.L. Walton
This is so useful! I wish I had seen this earlier as I have just had an EPIC debate with another user over whether a double sonnet (which you reviewed thank you very much btw)I wrote was iambic. The only things I would say are that you could mention the possibility of feminine endings in iambic pentameter, which Shakespeare uses a lot in sonnet 3 for instance,
'Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest
Now is the time that face should form another;'
Also I think in rare cases in modern sonnets an iambic line can start with a stressed syllable, such as in Tony Harrison's 'curtain sonnets', but then again these sonnets are only very tenuously in iambic pentameter in the first place - using as they do trochees and dactyls and all sorts - so perhaps not.
Anyway, this is a crystal clear, highly accessible article and I definitely think you should write more :) x
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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This is so useful! I wish I had seen this earlier as I have just had an EPIC debate with another user over whether a double sonnet (which you reviewed thank you very much btw)I wrote was iambic. The only things I would say are that you could mention the possibility of feminine endings in iambic pentameter, which Shakespeare uses a lot in sonnet 3 for instance,
'Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest
Now is the time that face should form another;'
Also I think in rare cases in modern sonnets an iambic line can start with a stressed syllable, such as in Tony Harrison's 'curtain sonnets', but then again these sonnets are only very tenuously in iambic pentameter in the first place - using as they do trochees and dactyls and all sorts - so perhaps not.
Anyway, this is a crystal clear, highly accessible article and I definitely think you should write more :) x
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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Thanks so much - I'm glad this made sense. I did actually write a section about feminine end syllables, but I decide it muddied the waters a little too much. Similar to dotting trochees and dactyls in a piece, I see it as an option for the more practised sonneteer. I,m thinking of doing a piece on writing a sonnet, referring to this one for metre, and that might be the place for such additions.
Mike
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Yes that's a very good idea and I wish you luck :) x
Comment from Earl of Oxford
I've made an exception here, as I rarely review prose nowadays.
You make learning fun with this post, Mike.
Of course you can't teach me a thing as my iambs are perfect. LOL.
I did cringe over the word, 'bastard' (as I always do), as I was born out of wedlock, though to the best Mum who ever lived.
Leaving free verse (which you mention) aside, I really hope some writers take note of your comprehensive tips on meter, as this site could sure use much more metered poetry, instead of that awful jumpy un-metered rhyme/structure crap (though the occasional one does impress me if it's particularly vivid or heartfelt).
A 'sixer' for sure!
Best wishes, Ray
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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I've made an exception here, as I rarely review prose nowadays.
You make learning fun with this post, Mike.
Of course you can't teach me a thing as my iambs are perfect. LOL.
I did cringe over the word, 'bastard' (as I always do), as I was born out of wedlock, though to the best Mum who ever lived.
Leaving free verse (which you mention) aside, I really hope some writers take note of your comprehensive tips on meter, as this site could sure use much more metered poetry, instead of that awful jumpy un-metered rhyme/structure crap (though the occasional one does impress me if it's particularly vivid or heartfelt).
A 'sixer' for sure!
Best wishes, Ray
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2012
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I'm honoured, Ray, and heartily glad you decided to read through this. I admit, I knew bastard would raise some eyebrows, but I wanted it to be something that caused mild shock, perhaps a titter. Thanks for the brilliant comments :-)
Mike
Comment from TammyGail
I found this to be ever helpful - wish I would have seen it a few a few weeks ago - I wrote my first sonnet it may still be on promotion not sure anyways - the problem with posting it even though it was correct is these sonnet people attack and I mean they bite hard - so it will be the first and last but yes please write more of these I enjoyed it much
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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I found this to be ever helpful - wish I would have seen it a few a few weeks ago - I wrote my first sonnet it may still be on promotion not sure anyways - the problem with posting it even though it was correct is these sonnet people attack and I mean they bite hard - so it will be the first and last but yes please write more of these I enjoyed it much
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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Thank you, Tammy. I get the same from the haiku/senryu/whateveryu writers - so much so that I just can't be bothered writing them any more. Sonnets are a little more loose, but there are those who cling hard to 'rules' that, really, are just guidelines or common themes.
Mike
Comment from seren james
Thank you for this. This article is very interesting and useful to me. I will use what you have written and correct my sonnet. I recently entered "Paradise Island" for the sonnet contest and didn't get any votes as my Iambs were all off. Now I will be able to see what I did wrong. Thank you again.
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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Thank you for this. This article is very interesting and useful to me. I will use what you have written and correct my sonnet. I recently entered "Paradise Island" for the sonnet contest and didn't get any votes as my Iambs were all off. Now I will be able to see what I did wrong. Thank you again.
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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Thanks so much, Seren :-). If this helps, even a little, then I'm a happy man.
Mike
Comment from Phyllis Stewart
This is well thought out and easy to follow. I don't know why so many are confused about this. I've heard many hear say, "but I counted the syllables"... when they completely ignored the accented/stressed ones in doing so. Most folks have a sense of rhythm... so why don't they see these flaws in their own writing, I wonder? At least you've explained the what and why here. It's up to them, tho, to find the how.
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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This is well thought out and easy to follow. I don't know why so many are confused about this. I've heard many hear say, "but I counted the syllables"... when they completely ignored the accented/stressed ones in doing so. Most folks have a sense of rhythm... so why don't they see these flaws in their own writing, I wonder? At least you've explained the what and why here. It's up to them, tho, to find the how.
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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Thank you, Phyllis. I know what you mean. For me, even before I knew about syllable stresses, I could always tell when a line was wrong because it would read flat rather than bouncy. Once I knew what caused it, writing in iambic meter became more of an instinct than a chore. I think people just 'click', and it all falls into place. The difficult bit is finding that way of explaining it that causes the click to happen.
Mike
Comment from babylonia
mike,
we really should be paying you to teach us to do this one. i love that the word you used to inspire and stress is bastard. made me smiggle. i will definitely have to print this as well as your private message. it is really starting to make sense.
love,
barbara
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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mike,
we really should be paying you to teach us to do this one. i love that the word you used to inspire and stress is bastard. made me smiggle. i will definitely have to print this as well as your private message. it is really starting to make sense.
love,
barbara
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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Thank you, Barbara :-). I wanted to make it fun as well as instructive. This has grown a little from the private message I sent you, but mostly the same. Thanks for giving me the excuse to write it!
Mike
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mike,
i'm glad i gave you that excuse. so many poets here act like writing iambic is some big secret that they are chosen to decipher. brooke made it sound like something i might barely be able to do. i got the impression she didn't want me to do it. thanks again, i knew others would love it as much as me.
love,
barbara
Comment from Soledadpaz
I found this hilariously enlightening. I don't know if that was your intention, but I like humor when I'm learning or teaching for that matter. Poetry must be the one place where both meters and feet are used and stress is what results when you're trying to fit the words into the rhythm prescribed for them. I'll remember never to start a line with the word bastard, but I guess I can almost end a line with it. This was extremely helpful and I will use it as future reference.
Sol
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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I found this hilariously enlightening. I don't know if that was your intention, but I like humor when I'm learning or teaching for that matter. Poetry must be the one place where both meters and feet are used and stress is what results when you're trying to fit the words into the rhythm prescribed for them. I'll remember never to start a line with the word bastard, but I guess I can almost end a line with it. This was extremely helpful and I will use it as future reference.
Sol
Comment Written 13-Sep-2012
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2012
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Thanks, Sol :-). I just hope it helps a little. As for humour, I think it's essential in learning, especially between adults, because none of us likes to be talked down to. Break the ice with humour, and it feels more like the knowledge sharing it is.
Mike
