December 14, 2011

Iambic Pentameter





The best poet of our group suggested I move my work into iambic pentameter. I had been writing pieces ten sylables a line, and iambic pentameter calls for five beats a line. Da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum.

Can I do this. Occasionally.

After following myself through the house, for I am the worlds worse mess maker, doing things like cleaning up after myself, doing my share of the chores, making the bed, I spent the rest of the day struggling with iambic pentmeter. Sometimes I can get the rhythm going, but the final result doesn’t necessarily make sense.

I’m not giving up, but I am severely discouraged.

10 comments:

  1. I admire your application but personally would give I.P.a miss:)

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  2. It's good to try new things but sometimes they just don't fit.

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  3. Oh, I can't write poetry to save my life! Good luck!

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  4. It's still ten syllables a line. There are other meters that might suit you better -- da da DUM da da DUM, for example.

    Or, really, if your thoughts don't fit the meter, you should be allowed to write however you want, and call it free verse, or even free will. 'Cause it's a free country.

    Note: this format is okay, but I had no trouble with the other one.

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  5. Don't be fooled by Latin-sounding lines.

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  6. I think you have to write the words as they fit in your head....never mind what someone else thinks is best. You are the poet...

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  7. It is just simple math...division...right? Well I was never very good at math...or poetry.

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  8. I have found that not all advice should be seriously considered. Even from the most gifted people. Keep in mind: they can only truly know themselves.

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  9. I think I see a stack of beads in cones.

    Thanks for changing the message box. Dianne

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  10. I hope somebody figures out the poetry thing. Free verse works for me. Like Ruthe says, not all advice can be followed. It's up to the individual to figure out what works and what doesn't--for that individual--even if it doesn't follow the "rules." Rules were made to be broken. The important thing is to try.

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