Meter is the rhythmic structure of a poem. It refers to the number of syllables and the arrangement of stresses per line. Iambic pentameter is considered the most common form of meter in poetry, which was used extensively poetry from the likes of William Shakespeare.
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- Poetic Meters AccentIn poetry, the word “accent” refers to the stressed syllable in a word. Metered lines of verse are made up of different groups of syllables.
- Poetic Meters Accentual-Syllabic VerseAccentual-syllabic verse is a type of accentual verse in which the writer uses the same number of syllables within each line.
- Poetic Meters Accentual VerseAccentual verse focuses on the number of stressed syllables per line rather than the total number of syllables.
- Poetic Meters AcephalousAn acephalous line is a form of a catalectic line of poetry. This type of line omits the first syllable of a metrical pattern.
- Poetic Meters Alcaic StanzaAn alcaic stanza is a type of lyrical meter thought to have been invented by Alcaeus, a writer from Mitylene.
- Poetic Meters AlexandrineAn alexandrine is a type of metrical line. It is most commonly refers to a line composed of twelve iambs.
- Poetic Meters Alliterative MeterAlliterative meter is a type of verse that focuses on alliteration as a way of creating a metrical structure. Alliteration is used rather than accents or rhymes.
- Poetic Meters AmphibrachAn amphibrach is a form of meter. It occurs when the poet places on accented syllable, or stressed syllable, between two unstressed or unaccented syllables.
- Poetic Meters AmphimacerAn amphimacer is a metrical foot that consists of three syllables. It’s the opposite of an amphibrach.
- Poetic Meters AnapestAnapestic Meter depends on three-syllable sections of verse, or words. An anapest is two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed.
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- Poetic Meters DactylA dactyl is one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. It is the opposite of an anapest.
- Poetic Meters DimeterDimeter refers to a specific arrangement of syllables in poetry. If a poem is written in dimeter, that means that the lines contain four syllables each.
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- Poetic Meters Poetic FootIn literature, a foot refers to a unit of meter in poetry. It is a grouping of stressed and/or unstressed syllables.
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- Poetic Meters IambAn iamb is a metrical unit. It occurs when two syllables are placed next to one another and the first is unstressed, or short, and the second is stressed, or long.
- Poetic Meters Iambic DimeterIambic dimeter is a type of meter used in poetry. It occurs when the writer uses two iambs per line of verse.
- Poetic Meters Iambic PentameterIambic pentameter is a very common way that lines of poetry are structured. Each line has five sets of two beats, the first is unstressed and the second is stressed.
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- Poetic Meters MeterThe meter is the pattern of beats in a line of poetry. It is a combination of the number of beats and arrangement of stresses.
- r
- Poetic Meters RhythmRhythm refers to the use of long and short stresses, or stressed and unstressed, within the writing.
- s
- Poetic Meters SpondeeSpondee is an arrangement of two syllables in which both are stressed.
- Poetic Meters Sprung RhythmSprung rhythm is a rhythmic pattern used in poetry that mimics natural speech.
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- Poetic Meters TrocheeTrochees are the exact opposite of an iamb, meaning that the first syllable is stressed and the second is unstressed.
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