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Stressed and Unstressed Syllables
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Stressed and Unstressed Syllables |
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SmartChick Member Rara Avis
since 2001-09-23
Posts 7081On A Journey To The Unknown 
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Stressed and unstressed syllable thing I just can not seem to figure it out I wanted to write a poem in meter Sometimes I feel like I want to shout In trying to figure out the difference I look at the examples trying to see How to tell one from the other It just does not make since to me I know that once I finally learn it It is something I will remember And, no longer will it be so hard Then I can write a poem in meter Which one is stressed or unstressed Just how is it that a person can tell Frustration builds deep inside of me This is something I feel so well By Sue 6-25-02 |
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| © Copyright 2002 Sue Graves - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Bridget Shenachie Senior Member
since 2002-01-23
Posts 1056Kansas USA |
Enjoyed your poem, SmartChick. I'll leave it to the experts to tell you about meter because I'm stumbling about in total confusion. Hang in there! That bit of encouragement was really for me! Shenachie |
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Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
SmartChick, Dum da dum da dum da da dum da Dum da da dum da da dum da da dum (Your first two lines I'm reading like this) da dum da da dum da dum da dum da dum da da dum da dum da da dum (The second two like this) There is a meter to everything we say or write. It's the pattern of repetition which makes certain things easier to follow than others. For example ,if I had just stepped on your foot , you would probably not say " ouch, WOULD you please get off MY foot." I think it would go more like "OUCH! would you PLEASE get OFF my FOOT!" Same words, different emphasis ( but you probably already knew that. Don't know if any of this rambling helps. This was a fun and interesting read, if a little difficult to follow, maybe that was your intent. Doc |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Hey, Smartchick, stressed and unstressed is simply the accents on the syllables. Syllables are either strong or weak. You can define them by the way you say them. de-FEAT = unstressed-stressed. We can't say DE-feat. That would sound pretty funny. In a poem if we got to a part of the line which called for a stressed-unstressed word, then we couldn't use defeat. The goal of meter is to use words that fit into whatever mode (iambic, trochaic, etc) we are using. When we accomplish that, the sentence flows smoothly. So first either decide what form you want to use or write a line you want to use and see what form it is in and keep using it. Let's say you want to write in iambic, for example. da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM (alternating unstressed/stress syllables) I USED to LOVE a MAN named BILL... ok, that works. Now you need to make the second line match the first... i USED to LOVE a MAN named BILL he ALways GAVE me SUCH a THRILL. Here you have perfect iambic and perfect meter. Can you say.... i USED to LOVE a MAN named BILL i would ALways GET such a THRILL.....? No, you can't. The stressed syllables are not in the right places. Can you see where this does not sound as good, even though I'm using the same number of syllables in each line? So, to begin to understand meter, you must do two things first... (1) Use the same number of syllables per line (2) Make sure the stressed syllables are in the same place. This will be your first step in mastering meter. After you feel comfortable doing this, then there are variations you can learn. But first learn this. Write me a poem with eight syllables per line and make all lines iambic (da-DUM). Are you up to it?  |
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SmartChick Member Rara Avis
since 2001-09-23
Posts 7081On A Journey To The Unknown |
Ok Balladeer! I will give it a try. I'll try to write one for you. Just hope I don't embarrasse myself. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
No one EVER embarrasses themselves by giving their best effort. Go for it, Smatchick! I'm with ya.... |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
You can't go wrong with Balladeer and Doc backing you up, SmartChick - You're working really hard at this... I'm proud of ya..  |
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