Entry #556715, added on 12-23-07 @ 5:42 am EST
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| Syllabic Meter | Entry #556715 |
Syllabic Meter
In response to my reviews of poetry, more than a few say they don't understand meter. While iambic and trochaic meter (accentual-syllabic meter) can be complicated with foot requirements and stressed syllables, there is a meter which is really quite simple. This is called syllabic meter. The only requirement for syllabic meter is the counting of syllables per line in a poem. However, as simple as it is, syllabic meter can really enhance the reading of a poem, especially when read aloud. Syllabic meter is important for the rhythm of a poem.
The on-line dictionary www.dictionary.com defines:
meter
poetic measure; arrangement of words in regularly measured, patterned, or rhythmic lines or verses.
rhythm
movement or procedure with uniform or patterned recurrence of a beat, accent, or the like.
In syllabic meter, this movement is accomplished by counting syllables (usually within a line) - the syllable line-count (number of syllables per line) is kept consistent throughout the poem. For this procedure, www.dictionary.com is a handy tool, for it breaks down words into syllables.
The syllable count can be consistently the same from line to line or it may vary from line to line, as long as the pattern is maintained throughout the poem.
For instance, a quatrain (a stanza of four lines) may have a syllable count of 6 syllables per line throughout the stanza. Likewise, it may have a syllable count of 6 syllables for lines one and three and 5 syllables for lines two and four - both are good syllable meters. The important thing is to keep the syllabic meter consistent from stanza to stanza.
Here is how syllabic meter is scored.
6 – 6 – 6 – 6 means there are six syllable in each line of a quatrain stanza.
6 – 5 – 6 – 5 means there are 6 syllables in lines one and three and 5 syllables in lines two and four.
Of course, these examples are for quatrain stanzas, but the same applies to couplet (two-lined) stanzas and other length stanzas. Just remember to keep the meter (or rhythm) the same in each stanza.
As an example, I will break down the syllable meter (syllables per line and stanza) in my one stanza poem Gathering Clouds
Gathering Clouds
A/mong/ the/ gath/e/ring/ clouds, (7)
Far/ from/ nois/y, bust/ling/ crowds, (7)
Be/yond/ the/ moun/tain/top/ peaks (7)
Where/ the/ whis/pe/ring/ wind/ speaks (7)
And/ cour/ag/eous/ ea/gles/ soar, (7)
Al/most/ touch/ing/ heav/en’s/ door, (7)
Past/ o/pen/ holes/ in/ the/ sky (7)
Where/ stars/ are/ no/ long/er/ high.(7)
Such/ plac/es/ are/ found/, it/ seems, (7)
On/ly/ in/ a/ young/ child’s/ dreams -(7)
Where/ float/ing/ clouds/ smile/ and/ say, (7)
“Fol/low/ me,/ I/ know /the/ way.” (7)
And/ you/ go/ be/cause/ you/ can; (7)
You've/ not/ yet/ be/come/ a/ man. (7)
This is called syllabic meter because we are merely counting the syllables with no importance given to the stress placed upon the syllables, as would be found in the more complicated accentual-syllabic meters. Syllabic meter has also been referred to as 'pure syllabic meter,' because it merely involves the counting of syllables.
Often, it will be important to consult a dictionary for syllable counts within a word. Words ending in 'ed' can be a place you may stumble in syllable counts. For instance, 'climbed' is one syllable and 'wanted' is two syllables.
I have discussed various forms of accentual-syllabic meter in other chapters of Researching Poetry.
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