Poetic Meter

Stressed & Unstressed Syllables METER: the basic rhythmic structure of a

verse or lines in verse PROSODY: the study of meter SCAN: to mark the stressed &

unstressed syllables in a poem

STRESSED syllables: / UNSTRESSED syllables: U

Stress Patterns IAMB: U / TROCHEE: / U SPONDEE: / / ANAPEST: U U / DACTYL: / U U

Each unit is called a FOOT

Number of Feet MONOMETER: 1 foot DIMETER: 2 feet TRIMETER: 3 feet TETRAMETER: 4 feet PENTAMETER: 5 feet HEXAMETER: 6 feeet HEPTAMETER: 7 feet OCTAMETER: 8 feet

Putting It Together Iambic Pentameter U / U / U / U / U /

U U / U U / U U / / U / U / U / U / U / U / U / / / / / / / / / U U / U / U / U / U / U U /