Historical Poetry Meter

Iambic pentameter is a meter consisting of five iambs, or pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables, per line. It is the most common meter used in English poetry, and is often used in narrative and dramatic verse.

Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton in the 17th century. It is written in iambic pentameter and tells the story of the fall of man from grace.

The line "But, soft, what light through yonder window breaks?" is written in iambic pentameter. It consists of five iambs, or pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables.

The Charge of the Light Brigade is a poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in the 19th century. It is written in trochaic octameter and tells the story of the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War.

The line "By the shores of Gitche Gumee, / By the shining Big-Sea-Water" is written in trochaic octameter. It consists of eight trochees, or pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin is a poem written by Robert Browning in the 19th century. It is written in anapestic dimeter and tells the story of the Pied Piper who rids the town of Hamelin of rats.

The line "Water, water, everywhere, / And all the boards did shrink and swell" is written in anapestic dimeter. It consists of two anapests, or groups of three unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable.

Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton in the 17th century. It is written in spondaic hexameter and tells the story of the fall of man from grace.

The line "Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit / Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste" is written in spondaic hexameter. It consists of six spondees, or pairs of stressed syllables.

The Waste Land is a poem written by T.S. Eliot in the 20th century. It is written in dactylic hexameter and tells the story of the spiritual wasteland of modern society.

The line "April is the cruellest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing" is written in dactylic hexameter. It consists of six dactyls, or groups of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.

Leaves of Grass is a collection of poems written by Walt Whitman in the 19th century. It is written in free verse and explores themes of democracy, nature, and the American spirit.

The line "I celebrate myself, and sing myself, / And what I assume you shall assume, / For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you" is written in free verse. It does not follow any regular metrical pattern.

Walt Whitman is known for his use of free verse in his poetry. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the free verse movement in American poetry.

The line "Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote / The droghte of March hath perced to the roote" is written in iambic pentameter. It consists of five iambs, or pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables.