»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #47
»
Trochaic Tetrameter Catalectic ( workshop inspired)
| Open Poetry #47 |
|
Trochaic Tetrameter Catalectic ( workshop inspired) |
|
|
Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Spread the word the Workshop's open Hitch yer boots and grab your pens Time fer roundin' up some trochees They's a runnin' wild again Iambs scoot, hell bent fer leather Spondees trampled underfoot Anapests done bust their tethers Just cain't make them things stay put Comes a ridin' to the rescue Cowpoke name of "Balladeer" Only folk that stands in his way Ain't got nuthin' left to fear Puts a scare into them critters Roundin' up them catalects Ropes and brands them wand'rin' dactyls Teachin' 'em the word "respect" Lord a'mighty watch his pen-strokes Nuthin' short of genius there One durn fine poetic cowpoke Much obliged there "Deer", I swear You's the best 'round these parts mister Honest Injun, yes-si-ree Keep it up an mebbe someday You kin rite as good as me. |
||
| © Copyright 2011 William E.Kleist - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
"Trochaic Tetrameter Catalectic" ... that's enough to make me fall into catalepsy  This lesson may be above my possibilities, but I did enjoy what you offered us, dear doc! Always wondered about the "a runnin' and a' ridin'" and such. And once Karilea explained it to me. That "a" makes things sound funny, but I love it. Great job! Love, Margherita  |
||
|
Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Margherita, You're a doll, lol @ your reply. Until 6:30 this morning I'd never heard the word "catalectic", being more familiar with the "catatonic" state myself. Trochees have been giving me trouble, always sneaking around and messing up my poems, so I thought it might be a good time to put them in their place. Well, one thing led to another and there you have it, lol. Thanks again. Doc |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Actually, Doc, you have a Trochaic Tetrameter Alternating Catalectic form. (there's a mouthful!)...and you do it brilliantly. Your stanzas begin with a trochaic line and each alternating line is a headless catalectic. It's really a very good style and can produce fantastic meters, as you have done here. Hat's off to the Moose...daring to go where few trod...and trodding brilliantly!  |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
btw, your even numbered lines are called acephalous lines Aceephalous lines can be quite effective when intersperced in poems. One great example is Houseman's "To an Athlete Dying Young". The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market-place; MAN AND BOY STOOD CHEERING BY, And home we brought you shoulder-high. Today, the road all runners come, SHOULDER-HIGH WE BRING YOU HOME, And set you at your threshold down, TOWNSMAN OF A STILLER TOWN. |
||
|
Klassy Lassy Member Elite
since 2005-06-28
Posts 2187Oregon |
Your poetry is wonderful... I love rhyme and the meter is always right on. I think my vocabulary needs some brushin' up though. I don't get involved with the workshops, and I should. I always enjoy reading the poem posted there and look for you.  |
||
|
Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Klassy Lassy, Thanks so much. I try to bring a little humor along with me wherever I go, there's waaay too much seriousness out there already. Doc Balladeer, Thanks, as always, for the input. You do tend to inspire. A question though, in the past, if I recall, you stated that mixing meters tends to throw the reader off and therefore should be avoided, but,what I've been seeing of late seems to indicate if done properly, it's not only acceptable, but actually adds to the piece? (I guess that's more of a statement, but you get my drift.) Doc |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
True enough, Doc, and a very good point. The short answer, of course, is that anything done properly is acceptable As far as the meter mixing, losing one's head can be a good thing. You will find that, when that is employed, the line will begin with a trochee. Why? Because an iamb can be implied, a trochee not so much. The mind can acctually create the meter for the missing syllable without even thinking about it. For example...See the horsemen riding toward us Friend or foe - who is to say? Kill or be killed - what will happen Will we still breathe by end of day? Not the greatest example off the top of my head but it's early morning  So what do we have here? Our syllables are 8-7-8-8, The second line is an acephalous line. Now, a purist can say there is one syllable too many in the last line, destroying the 8-7-8-7 perfect meter....and they would not be wrong. The question is, though, what do I want the last line to say? Where do I want the emphasis? Do I want it on whether or not we will survive the day - or do I want it on who will survive the day? In my example, it is the second....will WE still breathe. If I wanted to make a point of the first, I would say...WILL we breathe...making the syllable exactly fit the second line. The mind is an interesting little fellow and manipulating it can be fun. In the second line, I can imagine a pause being used before the word friend and in the last line I can also imagine the word "will" being passed over so quickly, due to the strength of "we", it's almost not even there. If you can picture the same, then the meter works, even though the meter is off. I'll give you another example - the Star-Spangled Banner. Oh, say can you see By the dawn's early light... Whose broad stripes and bright stars Through the perilous fight First line of the first stanza begins iambic (Oh, SAY). First line of the second stanza begins anapestic (whose broad STRIPES). One can say "Hey, that meter's off and shouldn't be that way."....but look what happens. Read the first line, listen to the first line being sung anywhere by anyone and the "Oh" will be carried out long enough to be two syllables... O-oh...which makes the line begin with an anapest and the meter is exact. Funny how our little minds work, no? Make the reader read your poem the way you want it read and you can get away with anything! There, that should be confusing enough for you! Final note......as far as varying meters go, we are referring to beginnings and endings of lines only, you know. Try to do them in the line somewhere and you lose. Off to work! |
||
|
Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Balladeer, M'friend, not confusing at all. Your examples got right to the point and you explained it very succinctly. The beginning, or the end, not in the middle, gotcha. Thanks. Doc |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
