Rhythm, Beats, and

Meter in Poetry
Presented by:
Bernie L. Fuentes
 RHYTHM

• is the recurrence of specific sounds based on

long and short patterns of stressed and
unstressed syllables, specifically poetry in
verse form.
 BEATS

• In a poem, are what provide the rhythm,

which is determined by the ear and has to do
with the poem's tempo and structure, giving it
a specific beat.
 METER

• Meter is the rhythmic structure of a line made up of

two or more syllables and the pattern of emphasis or
lack of emphasis on each of the syllables. A poetic foot
is a unit of meter. The most common metrical feet are
iambic, trochaic, spondaic, anapestic and dactylic. Both
rhythm and meter are important in poetry.
Meter and Examples of
Rhythm in Poetry
 Meter and Examples of Rhythm in Poetry

❑There are different types of rhythm in poetry, each

created through differing patterns of stressed and
unstressed syllables.
❑Rhythm is partially determined by the meter.
❑Each individual unit of a meter is called a foot and the
number of feet per line will determine the meter.
 A List Of The Different Types Of
Poetic Meter.
1. one foot per line: monometer
2. two feet per line: dimeter
3. three feet per line: trimeter
4. four feet per line: tetrameter
5. five feet per line: pentameter
 A List Of The Different Types Of Poetic
Meter.
6. six feet per line: hexameter
7. seven feet per line: heptameter
8. eight feet per line: octameter
 The Five Most Common
Types Of Metrical Feet In
Poetry
iambs, trochees, dactyls, anapests, and
spondees.
 Iamb

• The iambic foot is a two-syllable metrical foot

where the first syllable is unaccented, and the
second syllable is accented.

• Example word: be|seech

 Alone
By: Edgar Allan Poe

"From child | hood's hour | I have | not been

As oth | ers were-- | I have | not seen
As oth | ers saw-- | I could | not bring
My pass | ions from | a com | mon spring--"
Iambs are frequently used in verse because
they are pleasing to the ear and flow naturally.
Another example of a poem utilizing the
iambic foot is Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18." The
entire sonnet is written in iambic pentameter,
or five iambic feet in a line, a total of ten
syllables per line.
 Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare

"Shall I | compare | thee to | a sum | mer's day?

Thou art | more love | ly and | more tem | perate.
Rough winds | do shake | the dar | ling buds | of May,
And sum | mer's lease | hath all | too short | a date."
 Trochee

• The trochee is the opposite of an iamb. It is

also a two-syllable metrical foot, but the first
syllable is accented, while the second syllable is
unaccented.
• Example word: cus|tom
 "Will There Really Be a Morning?"
By Emily Dickinson

"Will there | rea lly | be a | 'morning'?

Is there | such a | thing as | 'day'?
Could I | see it | from the | mountains
If I | were as | tall as | they?"
 Spondee

• The spondee is also a two-syllable metrical foot where

both syllables are accented. Spondees are frequently used to
switch up the rhythm of a poem.
• Example word: cup|cake
• Spondees can also consist of two emphasized single-
syllable words in a row. For example, "GO! GO!" and "O
SEA!"
 Anapest

• The anapest is a three-syllable metrical foot

that is characterized by two unstressed syllables
followed by a stressed syllable.
• Example word: un|der|stand
• "In the blink | of an eye" is a frequently used
idiom that uses anapestic meter.
Poetic example of anapestic meter comes
from Dr. Seuss's Oh the Places You'll Go!

"You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
 Dactyls

• A metrical foot consisting of one long and

two short syllables or of one stressed and two
unstressed syllables

• Example: ten | der | ly