informal talk about forms: the nuts and bolts of rhythm part 2

Following up on last month’s talk about the two “root” styles of verse, today we’ll explore metrical verse. Most formal poetry uses this as its basis.
Metrical verse
Most English verse uses an accentual-syllabic rhythm. While this could be four stresses in an eight-syllable line with no regard to the pattern, most accentual-syllabic verse uses meter: iambic [...]

Posted by Tom on 06.26.2008 at 12:01 am// Tagged: Informal Talk About Forms, Tom , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


welcome to read write poem

Read Write Poem is an online gathering place for those who love poetry — and for those who suspect that, with a little nurturing, they could grow to love poetry. Whether you are new to writing poetry or have been writing for years, you are welcome here. If you don’t write poetry but love to read and discuss it, this is also the place for you. Read more about the project.


Get the Read Write Poem badge for your site! We have two versions to choose from. Just click on the badge to the left to snag the code.


read write poll

Do your new year's resolutions include poetry goals? (Choose the best answer.)

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

other read write poem joints

Facebook (sign up to be added to our mailing list)
Identica (sign up to be part of impromptu collaborative poem events)

participant-run journals, zines and sites


  • read write poem newsfeed

      "Adam Penna is on a roll. For nearly a decade, he’s written one poem every day, almost without fail. He writes for the love of poetry, believing that poems reveal truths that can easily be missed, and offer a way of connecting the universal human condition with individual experiences.

      Mr. Penna writes poetry because he believes it’s the best type of writing to distill the essence of a simple moment. Simply put, poems transform the ordinary into extraordinary, he said."

      Read the full article, which includes news about his *two* new books, published by different houses. "Success for an everyday poet" is written by Pat Rogers for The East Hampton Press & The Southampton.

      And visit Adam Penna's online poetry journal, Best Poem.

      -----

      Have you visited The Page? It's a spot for gleaning bits of "poetry, essays, language, ideas."

      Cool content, and it looks good, too. Edited by Andrew Johnston, with contributions by Stephen Burt.

      -----

      Dana and Jacob are at it again. If you are interested in learning more about The Seattle Poetry Brothel they are creating, visit My Gorgeous Somewhere for the scoop.

      -----

      A new poem by Sean O'Brien, written in response to the latest phase of conflict between Israel and Hamas:

      Katyusha, Katyusha

      -----

      One of our new participants, Lyn Hopper, will be using our writing prompts as a way to fulfill her personal challenge and be creative every day. Sound like something you'd like to do? I am sure you would be welcomed by Leah Piken Kolidas, the CED diva, into her creative fold.

      -----

  • Read all newsfeed items.

  • random
    poetry prompt

      A different word or phrase will appear here each time you visit the site or refresh the page. Your current prompt is — renegade

  • random
    collaborating tip

    Write a list poem, with each collaborator supplying one or more items for the list. Just think of a topic and you’ll be on your way.


  • random
    writing tip

    Write a narrative poem or an epic poem about an event in history that moves you. Do you feel drawn to a certain time period from the past? What about the music? It might be big band music, sixties folk rock, Duke Ellington jazz, Renaissance madrigals, Gregorian chants, sitar music, etc. Think of the food, the clothing, the setting and create a mood that’s evocative of the time period you’ve chosen.

  • random
    reading tip

    A great way to learn about a region is to read their poets. When planning your next vacation or trip, also research the region’s famous poets. (If you’re going out of the country, look for good translations.) You may be surprised at how well a poet can capture a regional spirit in verse. You’ll be more prepared for your trip and you can impress residents by knowing about their local writers.

  • random
    poetry quote



    I love poetry for the unemployment it causes, for how it constrains one to work always beyond one’s own intelligence, for its not requiring one to rise socially. — Les Murray