Metrical Consistency
Is it possible, or even desirable?
Ferrick Gray
Prefatory Remarks
⠀ When a poet, young or old, first begins to write formal verse, every effort is made to satisfy the metrical constraints of the form. There is nothing wrong with this pursuit, and simplification of the process can often help the beginning poet on their journey.
⠀ After the basics have been practiced, not necessarily perfected, the poet must investigate sounds and words, accent or stress, on each syllable, and how they can be combined to produce the same or similar rhythm. Note here, the use of the word rhythm, not meter.
⠀ After some initial success, the poet may unknowingly begin to concentrate on the wrong aspect of writing formal verse. Meter may seem to be the most obvious aspect to concentrate on, but as we shall see, it can be detrimental to both poem and poet.
⠀ The use of consistency in the title may be a little misleading. We strive to maintain consistency with our meter, as our verses ultimately require a consistent rhythm. However, in this case, I am referring to those poets who believe that metrical variation should not be permitted in verse; this belief can also discourage other beginning poets from attempting formal verse. Those few may believe in purity, but they will also pay the penalty.
The Most Used Metrical Verse: Iambic Pentameter
⠀ Possibly the most important verse in formal poetry is that which is called iambic pentameter. The consensus is that this is an overused form of verse, but many popular poems have been written in this format.
⠀ In its strictest form, iambic pentameter adheres to a metrical construction:
˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯
being the repetition of the iamb ( ˘ ¯ ) for all five feet. This verse construct has the emphasis on every second syllable, and the verse is said to contain ten syllables. Many poets mistakenly assume that every verse classified as iambic pentameter must contain exactly ten syllables. In most cases, the syllable count is from nine to eleven, but other syllable counts are possible. The construction of the iambic pentameter verse is very deceptive, and it appears to be such a simple formula to satisfy. It is also accepted as being an adequate verse length in terms of breath and an adequate mouthful of words.
⠀ When we say that a poem is written in iambic pentameter, we do not mean, nor do we expect every verse to be written in strict iambic pentameter. To have equal accents or stresses on all corresponding syllables means having the ictus fall in the same positions in every verse with the same emphases. Apart from being highly improbable, it would sound horrendously monotonous. There is no fixed measure of stress applied in any metrical verse. The marking of the ictus or placement of the stress on a specific syllable is made only in comparison to adjacent syllables. This type of variation in stress can also lead to promotion or demotion of a stress under some circumstances when required to satisfy the rhythm.
⠀ The reason that a poem can be categorized as being written in iambic pentameter is that the rhythm has not been violated. In other words, the rhythm remains consistent. This does not mean that every verse is of the same construction or indeed iambic pentameter.
What Could Possibly Happen?
⠀ No doubt, some verses will be strict iambic pentameter, but those verses would be, more than likely, consisting of monosyllabic words making up the expected ten syllables. All this would sit very nicely, but the continuation of this process would be intolerable. Both expression and content would suffer greatly. For the beginning poet, this might at first be satisfactory, but for the intermediate and advanced poet, this would be far from acceptable.
⠀ The poet will begin to have difficulty with the placement of words. We know very well that the incorrect placement of a word can have catastrophic effects when we hear incorrect stresses on the syllables. The verse and poem essentially dissolve into nonsense because grammatical or rhetorical construction has been corrupted, and any rhythm present is chaotic.
⠀ This is what happens when one strives for consistency of meter. We know that meter is an organized rhythm, but the exact same rhythm for every verse becomes a pulsating annoyance, irritating to say the least. Simplicity in verse construction will ultimately fail the poet. By simplicity, I am referring to the words that have been used, the vocabulary, not the meter itself.
Seeking Perfection
⠀ The question to be considered is: Should we be concerned in seeking perfect consistency of our verse with respect to meter alone? We could say that consistency of form can mean consistency of meter, but consistency of meter will not necessarily mean consistency of form. ⠀ We should not be overly concerned with having a strict meter; we should be more concerned that we have a consistent rhythm. Often, the metrical requirement can be sacrificed for rhythm, not vice versa. Do we think that a perfect meter will give us a perfect poem? No.
⠀⠀I recall some words by Alex Ross concerning Bach1:
Bach became an absolute master by never ceasing to be a student2.
⠀ In many respects, the composition of music and poetry has a lot in common. The point I am making here is that the poet cannot become a master of their trade if they are not prepared to keep learning, and for a poet (or musician), it means being prepared to experiment with the rules or guidelines we have to work with, and determine what will work and where.
The Poet as a Builder
An Analogy
⠀ A poet is a builder of sorts. As a builder constructs a house, the poet constructs their poem. For this comparison, I am considering the case of a bricklayer. For either one, a firm foundation is required before the task is started.
The Builder
⠀ Laying the first row of bricks is a reasonably simple task, just as the writing of the first verse can be a simple task. It is what happens as the rows (verses) are built upon each other. We can imagine what will happen if the builder wants every row of bricks to be the same. There will be uniformity, but the structure will be questionable. If in each row, the next brick is placed exactly on top of the one below, apart from appearing quite strange, we find that the structure can be made to easily collapse. Uniformity does not imply strength.
The Poet
⠀ So too, uniformity in meter will not imply that there will be any strength to the poem. In this instance, each monosyllabic word corresponds to a brick. We find the wall is structurally unsound, and the poem will lack expression of emotion due to the simplicity of the vocabulary.
Metrical Feet and Bricks
⠀ Do we find walls built in the above manner? No. There is a variation introduced that will support the structure. This variation is to offset the bricks in each row. We can still see some uniformity; there is a similarity, but it is not exactly the same as the previous row of bricks. The pattern is, on the whole, repeated, and we may say that there is a form of metrical equivalence. No two consecutive rows are identical, and the bricks themselves are not identical. For the poem, no two verses are identical, even when written in the same metrical pattern.
⠀ The poet, as a builder, needs to consider the structure and stability rather than whether everything is identical, and keep to the exact same pattern. This comes from experience and learning from others. No one writes perfect verse immediately on their first attempt. More importantly, no one writes perfect verse.
What Is Needed?
1 — Practice and Experience
⠀ All of us need to learn from those who have gone before and read other works. This will help in overcoming problems that have been encountered and give some insight into the solution. The worst that can be done is to allow the ego to take free rein solely due to a few well-received poems. No matter how developed the poet may be, like Bach, there is always room for improvement.
2 — A Discerning Ear
⠀ This is always important to every poet at every point in their journey. A major fault with some poets is their lack of listening to their own verse. The best way to do this is to read their verses aloud. It is the result of listening to the words that we can gauge their appropriateness and how they interact with the rhythm, or create the rhythm we desire.
3 — Expand Vocabulary
⠀ Improving one's vocabulary is always useful. With a greater source of words, the continual use of monosyllabic words is easily avoided. Polysyllabic words add more interest and excitement to verses and can make the task of writing verses more enjoyable as we take on the challenge of correctly placing more complex words (as in the number of syllables and their stresses) into verses. This is not to say that we should immediately reach for the thesaurus. It does not mean to replace every perfectly suitable simple word with a longer or uncommon one.
4 — Imitation (To a Point)
⠀ Imitation is one of those things that most, if not all, beginning poets will attempt. This process will also help poets understand different forms, how words have been used, and how the rhythm engages the reader. They will also learn when to use certain forms. The wrong choice of form can make what could have been a great poem end up being a bad poem. We may think that the one being imitated is a mentor of sorts. However, at some stage, the imitation must begin to cease as the poet (hopefully and gradually) finds their own voice. One day, it will come upon them, and they will realize they have found their own voice. Then they will be a poet.
5 — Considering Variations
⠀ All metrical forms (or formulae) will allow variations of some description. In other words, those metrical feet that may be substituted for the accepted standard. In the case of iambic pentameter, a number of variations are acceptable, yet we cannot simply make the substitution. Common substitutions for the iamb are trochee, anapest, amphibrach, and dactyl, but care must be taken as to when and where these substitutions are used.
- Trochee for Iamb: Sometimes called reversal, it occurs at the start of a verse but may appear in the middle.
- Anapest for Iamb: Most times seen toward the end or at the end of a verse.
- Amphibrach for Iamb: Found in the middle of a verse or at the end for a feminine ending (could be hypermetrical).
- Dactyl for Iamb: Not common, but proper at the beginning of a verse.
6 — Fear not the Critic!
⠀ Many poets, for valid reasons, are wary of the critic. Critics are not always familiar with formal verse and can make irrelevant comments about the structure and content. This form of negligence can be very damaging for the beginning poet who may require more guidance rather than harsh criticism. It is the responsibility of the critic to push the new poet into the poetry community and to be recognized. However, by learning what is wrong and how the poem could and should have been written, although hurtful, is the only way the poet will learn.
7 — Meter is Organized Rhythm
⠀ Above all, do not become obsessed with meter. Every form of metrical verse has what we may call a melody to it. This is the rhythm. It is here that studying other poets' work will be productive. Once the rhythm has been identified, it can be a lot easier to write verses to this rhythm.
Final Comments
⠀ As stated above, the metrical requirement can at times be sacrificed for rhythm, but sacrificing rhythm will, in turn, destroy any metrical system. So, too, concentrating on metrical consistency, strict metrical consistency, will ultimately produce a somewhat artificial poem.
⠀ The simplicity of the verses stem from attempts to keep a strict theoretical measure. The fact is that this is impossible to achieve since our very metrical system is based on something very different. We borrow the terminology, but there are many differences. Due to this rather major deficiency, we should be concerned more with the rhythm. One does not need to be a metrical expert to write excellent poetry.
⠀ One tool that demonstrates this love-hate relationship between meter and rhythm is that of scansion. Scansion is a very powerful tool, but will not make you a better poet. It will, however, enable you to understand why verses are as they are, and not otherwise.
- Johann Sebastian Bach (March 31, 1685 - July 28, 1750): German composer and musician.
- Alex Ross, Bach’s Holy Dread, The New Yorker, December 25, 2016