Verse

Verse refers to any number of writing traditions based on counting syllables, generally using patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables. 

This is not the best source for the rich history and possible complxities of this art, but this is how we break it down.

The basic unit is the Foot, which is a repeatable cluster of stressed and unstressed syllables. We'll notate this as such

*  indicates stressed/long syllable
-  unstressed/short syllable

.*.*.*.*.* - indicates Iambic Pentameter

Here are some two-syllable ("Disyllabic") and three-syllable ("Trisyllabic") Feet (beats)

 

*     *     pyrrhus, dibrach
*     –     iamb
–     *     trochee
–     –     spondee

*     *     *     tribrach
–     *     *     dactyl
*     –     *     amphibrach
*     *     –     anapaest
*     –     –     bacchius
–     *     –     cretic
–     –     *     antibacchius
–     –     –     molossus

Wait, it gets even better. Generally, the way forward is to repeat the beat, and use the same foot throughout the poem. Depending on how many Feet you put in each line, you might be writing Iambic, Trochaic, Anapestic, Dactylic, Spondaic... Monometer, Dimeter, Trimeter, Tetrameter, Pentameter, Hexameter, Heptameter, or Octameter. How fancy are you?

Have fun with this. Dominique prefers perfect rhymes to slant rhymes.

Source

I like Turco's Book of Forms

Examples

Heather's favorites.

Works that use this form

• Babbitt's
• Late to Work, a sonnet
• Newspoem 1998: The Ventriloquist's Administration
• Portman Dactyl and Amphibrach Womantoes
• The Wreck of the Good Ship Lollipop
• You Never Thanked the Poor

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