Victoria Slotto is talking about meter for dVerse Meeting the bar today. Meter to me is not so much a discipline of choosing the number of beats or type of foot, but of bringing musicality to a poem. I am, therefore inclined to take liberties with strict meter to suit the mood and the sense of a poem.
Here is an example of a Spenserian Stanza which swings between pentameter, tetrameter and hexameter. It also changes from first to second person, in order to give myself a good talking to.
Spenserian Stanza
That fellow did not deserve my absolution
for using me and dropping me the way he did
but time has a way of creating resolution –
it soothes the hurt in order to remit
the blame, erase resentment, call it quits.
Remember only good times – and they were –
to re-live historic bitterness forbid.
Life comes again, you were not burnt
but only scorched. Move on, forgive, towards re-birth.
And here are a couple of short strict(ish) iambic tetrameter triolets:
Triolet 1
What do you think this is ? A game?
eight line metrical rhyming verse
with repeats, a triolet is its name.
What do you think this is? A game?
It’s fun to write one all the same –
to fun I’m not at all averse.
It really is some kind of game,
to write in metrical rhyming verse.
Triolet 2
A woman’s place is in the wrong,
to stroke the ego of her man.
Despite the fact that she is strong
a woman’s place is in the wrong.
To keep the peace – her canny plan –
she has to jolly him along,
pretend that she is in the wrong –
to soothe the ego of her man.
I love all of these; you write wonderful form poetry.
What you said in your first paragraph: you taught me that, and I am much less regimented about counting syllables than I once was…so, thank you!
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We learned that together. Remember Bill Greenwell? The poem comes first and rules a distant second.
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No, I don’t remember him? Who is he?
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Does Big Red Book ring any bells?
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Erm…I’m blushing 🙂
I do know for a fact that that bit didn’t stick because it was definitely you – via FirmbutFair – who taught me to relax about syllable counts.
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The second trilet makes me smile hugely. Wonderful selections. thank you for putting them together instead of as separate submissions
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Love the offering viv but the Triolet 2 had me smiling !
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Lovely meter made! 🙂 Especially smiling at the last triolet!
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Laughing along with the second Triolet! Are we as a race (men) so insecure in ourselves and our limited abilities when it comes to a relationship, Viv? I hope my wonderful wife says, “No.” But to be honest… she’s just as free to say, “Yes” and make me laugh. Great work all three!
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I don’t know about insecure. I only know it’s necessary to keep the peace.
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WAA HAHAHA! Love that last Triolet! The musician in you comes out with meter and very clearly at that! I really enjoy the mixed form of the first one – you do that so well, Viv!
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Wow! Great examples and lesson in some wonderful poetry!
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Kudos to your poem and skill with meter! Similar to mine in tone, but much better written..especially the ending.
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I love the meter variation of the Spenserian part… and yes perfect meter can need some liberties to soften it up… enjambments, and so clear you use it, and it is about musicality…
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I love this entire offering, Viv. It’s like a meter primer! Marilyn said it… Brilliant!
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I loves me a Triolet, for sure (Walt and I have been known to banter them back and forth for months on end, over at Poetic Asides). Perhaps that means I know meter better than I think I do? 😉 Or perhaps not. Ha.
I LOVE this:
“you were not burnt
but only scorched”
YES.
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What she said! I’m never flummoxed by a woman of words. I’ll know her when I meter!
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You are so good at meter, Viv. For some reason, when I clicked on Mr. Linky, it took me to my blog. That happens to me sometimes. Could you check and make sure the link is correct and relink it if it is not. If it is, it’s something to do with my site. So glad you share these various examples because you are a skilled meter maid.
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I’ve put the correct link up now. I don’t know how that happened.
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Loved these, especially the last one. 🙂
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The mistress of meter. Brilliant!
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