Unlocking the Secret Pulse of Poetry: How Rhythm and Meter Transform Words into Magic
shall I | comPARE | thee TO | a SUM | mer’s DAY? ||
Thou ART | more LOVE | ly AND | more TEM | perATE:
Each line consists of five metrical feet, so this poem is written in pentameter. Each line also includes five iambs. These lines are therefore written in iambic pentameter.
Silence (Rests, Pauses)
In poetry, line breaks, stanza breaks, white space, and punctuation provide cues for pauses. We’ll pause a little longer between stanzas than we will between lines. We’ll hold on a period longer than on a comma. Sometimes breaks and punctuation are part of the aesthetic design of a poem, but their placement will almost always affect a poem’s meter and rhythm, because they instruct the reader to pause.
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