Yes. Poetry is a measured pattern of rhythmic accents in a line of verse.
How does this counting help ? How good is a measured line compared to a continuous long verse ?
It does make a lot of difference.
But before we proceed in this context, lets make the readers familiar with a few terms.
SYLLABLE :
A word can be divided into UNITS. Each of these units will produce a sound, when they are pronounced.
While pronouncing, these units can be said without interruption.
These UNITS are called as SYLLABLES.
A syllable always contains a vowel sound, and most syllables have consonants associated with the vowel.
Example :
syl-la-bles
po-etry
Eng-lish
per-so-ni-fi-cation
Depending upon the number of units (Syllables), they are divided into, they are termed.
Suppose a particular word is divided into 'n' number of units, then the word is said to contain 'n' syllables or it is termed as a 'n-syllabled' word.
rasp-be-rry : 3 syllables
stars : Mono syllabled word or 1 syllable
pam-per : 2 syllabled word.
Hope this is clear now.
English syllables are two kinds.
Accented or Stressed : A syllable that is stressed in pronunciation is called an accented syllable
When a greater amount of force is used to pronounce one syllable over another, it is called Stress)
Unaccented or Unstressed : These kind of syllables requires not much of force while pronouncing.
METER :
A measured pattern of rhythmic accents in a line of verse.
In most poems, the lines are written according to patterns of rhythm. Poetic meter is the measure of a line of poetry. It is rhythm that can be measured in poems.
In other words, to be more plain, it is the arrangement of a line of poetry by the number of syllables and the rhythm of syllables.
The smallest of these metrical units is the 'syllable'.
After the syllable, the next largest metrical unit is the 'foot', which is group of two or more syllables.
The next largest metrical unit is the 'line'. A line is the regular succession of feet, and, though it is not necessarily a sentence, it customarily begins with a capital letter. The number of feet in a line of verse determines the measure or meter.
Now, it should make sense. So break the lines with regard to syllables.
Consider this poem..
A violet by a mossy stone
Half hidden from the eye
Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky.. ----- William Wordsworth.
Not necessary that all syllables should count up to the same, unless you aim in writing so. How well this verse reads, when recited aloud !
A violet by a mossy stone half hidden
From the eye, fair as a star
When only one is shining in the sky..
Read the above verse. The words are the same, but the breaks and pauses matter a lot. Give some breathing space, when and where you feel it is required. So its all simple arithmetic. Know the calculation and you win.
Until we meet again for the next lesson Of Engineering Poetry, wish you all Happy Writing
Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them. ~ Dennis Gabor
To remind again, Poetry has a lot and lot more. What we are discussing are mere aspects, one among the several. Poetry is like a vast ocean, we are just getting familiar with the shells.
Adding your comment:
anyhow, love how you summed it up to the importance of breathing space in a poem. i think that is so useful for any amount of drama. write onwards
I would prefer to think of it as rhythm
