t. reflexion

Jan 26, 2012

This poem is part of the workshop:

More Meter

(Read More...)

Description:

Leader: Jess (weirdelf)
Moderator(s): Beauregard, Geezer, Wesley Snow

Objectives: To get meter inside our heads and make it easy.

Level of expertise: Open to all

Subject matter:
More Meter

In the last meter workshop we compared iambic meter with trochaic and had a quick look at anapaestic. This time we will start with a discussion on meter and each participant's experience/knowledge of it. The workshop activities will be tailored to each persons needs and development.

Only two things are not open to argument. We will use classic meter terminology, it is not hard and it is useful. And critique of each others submissions are considered as important as your own submissions.

OK, to get the ball rolling I will give the briefest possible description I can of meter.

Meter is the rhythm of poetry as determined by the way words are pronounced normally in English, this does allow for regional and dialect variations. Meter is not about counting syllables, it is about counting Feet. A foot is two or three syllables of which one is stressed. The repetition of feet creates meter. The number of feet per line defines the metric form.

The most common forms of feet are Iambic, Anapestic, Trochaic And Dactylic and we will discuss them all.

The number of feet per line are named with Greek numeric prefixes (monometer, dimeter, etc.). We will go up to five feet per line (pentameter).

Just about everyone has heard of Iambic Pentameter. It has been popular since Shakespeare and Chaucer. Iambic Pentameter is a line of five iambs
da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM

To join please PM me or Beauregard

Enough for now. Let's talk! In the following discussion important points about content and style will be raised. Contribute your thoughts, ideas and questions.

FIRST ACTIVITIES.

For those who have never consciously written in meter before-

Write up to 14 lines of Iambic Pentameter.
Do NOT rhyme.
Choose a topic that is not emotional, personal or profound, merely descriptive. This will free up your word choice.

For those who have consciously written in meter before-

Write up to 14 lines of Trochaic Pentameter.
Do NOT rhyme.
Allow variations including Dactylic and strong and weak lines.
Choose a topic that is not emotional, personal or profound, merely descriptive. This will free up your word choice.

From the Toolbar click Workshop>Submit a poem.

Copy or type in your poem. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and above the Preview button you will see a Workshop droplist. Click this and select More Meter. Then preview and save as normal.

PLEASE READ THE SYLLABUS, THE DISCUSSION AND ALL MESSAGES CAREFULLY

This workshop is closed.

The Bit (more meter)

The theatre has men who like to pretend
Some force themselves to crack funny short jokes
Others are natural in what they do
I stepped in pretending to be a wolf
An unknown Tiger came to eat me up

About This Poem

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Country/Region: NGA

Favorite Poets: Inspired by an article in an old manuscript

Comments

Let's have a go at parsing this

The thea/tre has men/ who like/ to pretend
Some force/ themselves/ to crack/ funny/ short jokes
Others are/ natur/al in/ what they/ do
I stepped/ in pre/tending/ to be/ a wolf
An un/known Tig/er came/ to ate/ me up

For starters I really love this poem, the whimsy with a sense of seriousness.

I found it very difficult to parse. It feels like a real mixture of meters. I'd like others to have a go and see if it comes out differently.

I think you are right...

Honestly, I am learning this thing for the first time. I must have brought a mixture of stressed and unstressed in the piece. From the inputs and comments I have seen the area I need to work on. thank you

Thank you

I have taken off the error and more than that I am still struggling with the things about meter, parsing and the inconsistency in my arrangement. Best wishes.

well, I won't break the trend

let me have a go:)

The thea/ tre has men/ who like/ to pre tend
Some force/ them selves/ to crack fun/ny short jokes
Others are/ natural in /what they /do
I stepped/ in pretend/ ing to be/ a wolf
An un/ known Ti/ ger came/ to ate/ me up

This seems right to me, it is my spoken dialect at least. I'm sorry, I'm one of those who pronounces 'na-tchu-ral' as 'na-tchrul', honestly, is that lazy of me? To me, with 3 syllables that line read as weirdelf pointed out:P

after reading this the many times I have, I find it really enjoyable. Personally, it speaks about ones place in the social hierachy of the world stage.

hello

Enjoyed the poem. Laste line I think you mean eat not ate
As far as parsing goes I think jess got it right except 2nd line which I read as trochaic instead of iabic. But as alway it depends on how any individual reads it.........stan

T., I would like you to edit this

to try and make it conform to regular iambic pentameter, just for the sake of the exercise.