But the majority of English poetry is in iambic pentameter, and probably more than 90% is iambic in any length. Iambic is the standard metre closest to normal English speech and metres like trochaic or anapestic are mostly used for their dissonant effect. So your standard choices are really iambic pentameter or iambic tetrameter. Pentameter is the normal length fit for almost every type of verse, tetrameter is somewhat lighter but almost as serviceable in most circumstances, although usually there's no point in not using pentameter which is simply more flexible, because 5 is an odd number you can vary the the placement of the pause (caesura) in the middle of the line for interesting effect. trimeter is lighter still and mostly employed to set off longer lines, like in ballad metre (which is a tetrameter line followed by a trimeter line). Hexameter tends to be overlong and (similar to trimeter) is normally employed in a pentameter poem for variety, usually at the end of a couplet or stanza, the problem with hexameter verse on its own is that it too easily becomes regular and monotonous and sometimes becomes tempting to read as two trimeter lines stitched together in the middle.
tl;dr: iambic pentameter is the workhorse of every english poet
this. you'll be a gazillion times better off just working on mastering your prose in this day and age. absolutely nobody would give a minuscule fragment of shit if shakespeare wrote his sonnets todays
this. you'll be a gazillion times better off just working on mastering your prose in this day and age. absolutely nobody would give a minuscule fragment of shit if shakespeare wrote his sonnets todays
>assumes its to make money and not for fun
get a soul
???
All of them. You need to learn how to count the syllables/accents, then do it until it comes naturally to you.
Of course, the iambic pentameter is more used in English, so it's a good option to learn that first, but you can start with any other.
Memorize parts of Milton's Paradise Lost, Alexander Pope, Shakespeare's sonnets for the iambic pentameters, then learn other meters.
Read some treatise on poetic form and experiment with the ones you prefer.
Then explore your own combinations.
John Hollander's Rhyme's Reason is a good book. Buy it and read it.
>what was the purpose of this?
The satisfaction of my will to write it. That was the purpose. >I'm going to be helpful but let me make myself sound condescending for no reason
Writers are condescending. Don't like it, go to journalism.
You'd probably cry reading Pound's ABC.
You don't have to learn it, just write down the meter as it comes into your head.
What kinda moronic answer is this?
When someone asks how to learn to play the piano do you tell them to just start hitting the keys aswell?
Playing a song on the piano requires hitting specific keys.
A meter is just a rhythm, which could adequately be expressed with hitting any key.
specific keys.... to a rhythm?
why do I have a feeling you neither play instruments nor write poetry
Thanks for exposing you don't know what a rhythm is.
Iambic is the most natural
This. It's literally the rhythm of life. It mimics the heartbeat, the walking pace, and all the dualities that preoccupy us.
Bullshit. OP shouldn't try to waltz before he can walk.
All of them
Frick metric learn imperial
Well metre is the noun, metric is an adjective.
But the majority of English poetry is in iambic pentameter, and probably more than 90% is iambic in any length. Iambic is the standard metre closest to normal English speech and metres like trochaic or anapestic are mostly used for their dissonant effect. So your standard choices are really iambic pentameter or iambic tetrameter. Pentameter is the normal length fit for almost every type of verse, tetrameter is somewhat lighter but almost as serviceable in most circumstances, although usually there's no point in not using pentameter which is simply more flexible, because 5 is an odd number you can vary the the placement of the pause (caesura) in the middle of the line for interesting effect. trimeter is lighter still and mostly employed to set off longer lines, like in ballad metre (which is a tetrameter line followed by a trimeter line). Hexameter tends to be overlong and (similar to trimeter) is normally employed in a pentameter poem for variety, usually at the end of a couplet or stanza, the problem with hexameter verse on its own is that it too easily becomes regular and monotonous and sometimes becomes tempting to read as two trimeter lines stitched together in the middle.
tl;dr: iambic pentameter is the workhorse of every english poet
Give up. There’s no market for poetry now unless you’re writing Rupi Kaur level shit.
this. you'll be a gazillion times better off just working on mastering your prose in this day and age. absolutely nobody would give a minuscule fragment of shit if shakespeare wrote his sonnets todays
>assumes its to make money and not for fun
get a soul
>implying there was ever a market for poetry
If you want to publish, I recommend transitioning if you want to have any chance of success.
???
All of them. You need to learn how to count the syllables/accents, then do it until it comes naturally to you.
Of course, the iambic pentameter is more used in English, so it's a good option to learn that first, but you can start with any other.
Memorize parts of Milton's Paradise Lost, Alexander Pope, Shakespeare's sonnets for the iambic pentameters, then learn other meters.
Read some treatise on poetic form and experiment with the ones you prefer.
Then explore your own combinations.
John Hollander's Rhyme's Reason is a good book. Buy it and read it.
>???
what was the purpose of this?
>I'm going to be helpful but let me make myself sound condescending for no reason
>what was the purpose of this?
The satisfaction of my will to write it. That was the purpose.
>I'm going to be helpful but let me make myself sound condescending for no reason
Writers are condescending. Don't like it, go to journalism.
You'd probably cry reading Pound's ABC.
>The satisfaction of my will to write it. That was the purpose.
Fussell's Poetic Meter and Poetic Form is much better.