Elements of Poetry
Overview Syllables Meters Line Groupings The Right Word Gustave Dore Gallery Lisa Linch Gallery Claude Monet Gallery Diane Romanello Gallery Edgar Degas GalleryMeters
Meter
refers to the rhythm or beat of the poem. It is determined by the pattern of accents and non-accents placed on the syllables of the words in the lines.
Line length - by the number of metrical feet
| Line name | Number of feet in line |
|---|---|
| monometer | 1 metrical foot, any meter |
| dimeter | 2 metrical feet, any meter |
| trimeter | 3 metrical feet, any meter |
| tetrameter | 4 metrical feet, any meter |
| pentameter | 5 metrical feet, any meter |
| hexameter | 6 metrical feet, any meter |
| heptameter | 7 metrical feet, any meter |
| octameter | 8 metrical feet, any meter |
Patterns of Metrical Feet
| Meter (Foot Name) | Syllables and Accent Pattern | Mood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iambic (Iamb, Iambus) | 2 | · - | highly variable |
| Trochaic (Trochee) | 2 | - · | tripping movement |
| Spondaic (Spondee) | 2 | - - | |
| Anapestic (Anapest) | 3 | · · - | galloping and gay |
| Dactylic (Dactyl) | 3 | - · · | slower, sad, melancholic |
| Amphibrachic (Amphibrach) | 3 | · - · | |
| Paeon (Paeon) | 4 | - · · · | |
Meter Regularity
Regular Meters are predictable. The lines contain feet of one type of meter. You know the pace of what is coming next
(e.g. iambic pentameter - 5 foot line, all iambic feet.)
Irregular Meters are less predictable. The lines contain varying metrical feet. They can be used to add interest to a piece of poetry. It is akin to varying the tempo or beat in a piece of music.