THE BEST MINDS

Today:

Reading Poems Outloud
Discussing Free Verse and Ballad, Quatrains
Also syllabic poetry, and meter: iambic, anapets, dactyl, trochee and spondee

Frost said that that in the English language there are virtually but two meters: "strict iambic and loose iambic". Iambic is the most common form of meter followed by anapest. Trochaic and dactylic are rare. Spondee is used mostly in cursing. But all poems work on rhythm and the breaking of rhythm for effect and meaning. So even iambic meters are broken.

So what do iambic mean:

unstressed, stressed syllables - such as into the sun.

Anapest: unstressed, unstressed, stressed - such as intervene, or all must die.

Dactyl: stressed, unstressed, unstressed - such as enterprise or color of

Trochee: stressed, unstressed - went to church to

Spondee: YOU ASS! stress stress


Last: This week, we will begin looking at famous poems. THE WASTELANDS


HOMEWORK: Write a BLUES poem or a syllabic quatrain ballad.