Haibun Look Poetry Contest

Before we look at iambic meter you must understand syllables, how they are used to break down words into separate sounds, an example, 'un/der/stand; a three syllable word. The latter, (word), is a single syllable one. Iambic meter uses 2 syllables, the first unstressed the second stressed. Together they are called a foot. Now if your feet are not suffering we have 5 foot to go. Iambic pentameter, a line 10 syllables long or 5 feet with the rhythm de//dah / de//dah / de//dah / de//dah / de//dah. the bold dah being the stressed syllable. Of all the metered forms, (there are a few). The one discussed here is the form most commonly used by English poets, its said to follow our speech pattern. The rhythm is, (if writing in iambic meter), a must. A point I have not made clear is in 2 syllable words the second syllable is the one stressed! As for 4 syllable words, it is the second and forth. For 3 syllable words go see the poet Doctor, joking aside I try to make it the middle one, seriously I try to avoid them, for me, they are hard work! An example of iambic pentameter from William Shakespear's Sonnet XVII: Shall I compare thee to a sumers day? Just the first line, again the bold text represents the stressed syllable. The whole sonnet has the rhyme pattern ababcdcdefefgg. If you have read this far then you too must have fun writing, composing poetry, I do, I find it therapeutic, hope it helps to you too. Pentameter, two syllables equal one foot, ten equal, five, seems to stress some folk when the stress should only be on the last sequel of two words like this you can see applied to alldouble syllabe words like treacle, here the stress in bold text made easy, the third line up in iambic meter sequel, of four iambic feet, iambic tetrameter, da de, da de, da de da de, the cycle, triple syllable words, heed, yes, choose very carefully Edited 7/8/18 - 24:27.30hrs READS LIKE MUSIC - haibun look Poetry Contest, sponsored by Line Gauthier 7/8/18