Hello. This is Frank Hubeny. The topic for Meeting the Bar is iambic pentameter. It is a rhythm or meter of poetry with lines having five “feet” each foot generally starting with an unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable.
Here is an example from Alexander Pope where I put in bold, uppercase and yellow the accented words:
To ERR is HU-man; TO for-GIVE di-VINE.
The way I would normally say that line, I probably would not accent the second “to” as much as the other accented words, but still the “da DUM” rhythm sounds clear and makes for a nice sounding quote. This goes to show even one line of iambic pentameter can be memorable.
Sonnets are often in iambic pentameter. Here is Edna St. Vincent Millay reciting five of her sonnets: (Channel: CurzonRoad)
Even when I don’t understand the words, the iambic meter holds my attention and makes me wonder if I should listen to it again.
Wikipedia notes something that I found unexpected although obvious now that I think about it: “A healthy human heartbeat follows the iambic pentameter, with each pair of beats resembling an iambic foot.” I certainly wouldn’t expect my heart to have any different rhythm than an iambic meter whatever the line length, pentameter (5 feet per line) or tetrameter (4 feet per line) or trimeter (three feet per line).
It is nice to think that using an iambic rhythm is following one’s heart beat.
The challenge today is to write lines of iambic pentameter, lines with five iambic feet. They do not have to rhyme. They do not have to have exactly 10 syllables per line. They do not have to be perfectly iambic in rhythm allowing some variety. The poem can be a named form like a couplet or a Chaucerian stanza or a sonnet or it may be blank verse of only one line or many. For length, let’s restrict them to 14 lines or shorter, allowing for a sonnet.
To participate post your poem on your blog and copy the link to your blog post. Paste that link into the Mister Linky below. You will find other poets there who have also linked their poems. We get to know each other by reading and commenting on these shared poems. The Mister Linky will be open for 2 days.
dVerse 
The bar is open!
As you have probably already guessed, this prompt is right up my street, frank! Good evening dVerse poets. It was a mixed morning with grey clouds and rain that turned into a wonderfully sunny October afternoon. I went out in the fresh air to clean our downstairs windows and watched the cats having fun! I’m looking forward to some good old iambic pentameter.
You wrote a nice sounding sonnet. I can get lost in the sound of a poem itself.
Thank you, Frank.
Hello Frank, I started my blogging doing almost exclusively iambic pentameter, and after a while it felt that everything I wrote had that rhythm.. I found myself writing my prose in that heartbeat rhythm… I even remember I once wrote a whole dVerse OLN in blank verse…
I think the exercise in writing pentameter is useful also when writing free verse… the beat becomes so natural after a while.
It is a nice rhythm to write it. I like the orderliness of the sound. Although I prefer tetrameter or trimeter in songs when one has something to say, iambic pentameter provides enough words to say it. Being able to write in meter should help writing in free verse.
I think if should be sung tetrameter and trimeter is often better, but I think it’s a bit too bouncy for spoken poetry… pentameter can be that perfect bridge between poetry and prose…
I tried to write one, but I am not too sure I got the iams and meter correctly. Thanks for reminding us of this classic form. Happy Thursday and thanks for hosting.
It is not always easy to switch from normal speech to this somewhat sing-song rhythm. The meter can become annoying.
Ok, Frank – I need a cold drink . This exercise made me sweat, lol. My brain cells are frying.
It can be difficult. Once one gets in a lullaby mood it might be easier. Cold drink coming right up.
good morning! wet and rainy October morning in Malaysia. writing with meter is quite lyrical, like reading nursery rhymes to me, there is that melody that will stick forever. warming up with strong black coffee before I attempt mine. nice prompt Frank, a good creative exercise.
It can be like writing nursery rhymes even if it is blank verse and doesn’t rhyme. The rhythmical sound is still there. I am glad you liked the prompt, Gina!
it is the flow of words, sometimes no rhymes rhyme very well
‘[Blank Verse] has been described as “probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the 16th century’ – Jay Parini, The Wadsworth Anthology of Poetry (Cengage Learning, 2005), page 655.
I think the labels of “sing-song” and “annoying” (see comment, above) are misplaced. Try “powerful”, “lovely”, “subtle”, and above all “flexible”.
I thank you, Frank for hosting this tonight,
I think and dream in meter left and right,
So stop me now before I lose control,
And cease to speak in language that’s not droll!
Nice meter and rhyme, Jilly!
Hey, Frank! Thank you for hosting. I hope I’m not the only one who attempted this that doesn’t feel capable of doing it. Nothing to drink… yet.
I think there’s a good beer here somewhere. I’ll bring them all out.
There’s always a good beer somewhere. Thanks, Frank!
Gave the prompt a try this morning Frank! Thanks for hosting.
Thank you for linking your poem, Linda! I am glad you tried it.
Being the armchair poet that I am, the instructions for the iambic pentameter are intimidating, to day the least. My entire life I’ve only written in a rhyming rhythm as the words tumble into my head. I have to admit I find many of the required forms here stultifying and restrictive. I have learned a great deal, thanks to the many talented and kind poets who frequent this spot, and I’m grateful. I’m taking a pass on this challenge, but I’ve read all the entries with much interest.
You are very good at writing metrical poems, Beverly. That rhyming rhythm I think is the same as “iambic”. Most of my poems just tumble into my head as well.
I wanted to write a lovely sonnet on another theme but ended up with what is on my mind most these days. It probably lost some Iambic pentameter due to longer words. Have a great weekend, poets!
Nice iambic pentameter whether a lovely sonnet or not. Thanks for linking it, Kathy!