WHAT IS POETIC METER?
Poets use a lot of different techniques to add artistry and depth to their poetry. Sometimes they will choose their words in such a way that it creates a certain kind of rhythm when read aloud, using syllables and the way each word is pronounced to give the line of poetry a kind of built-in music. That rhythm built into the line itself is called the poem's "meter."
Meter can come in many different forms, so we have developed terms that help us know how to treat particular aspects of meter, and therefore how to read the poetry correctly to get its full intended effect. First, each line of poetry is split into groups of syllables called "feet." There are several different kinds of feet, but the only two types we need to worry about are the dactyl and the spondee.
Meter can come in many different forms, so we have developed terms that help us know how to treat particular aspects of meter, and therefore how to read the poetry correctly to get its full intended effect. First, each line of poetry is split into groups of syllables called "feet." There are several different kinds of feet, but the only two types we need to worry about are the dactyl and the spondee.
