What is an iambic pentameter? (Comic Poem number 132)

 

A pentameter is five pairs, five pairs

Just like a dining table with ten chairs

Five children have five pairs of hands, and feet

Five pairs of diners, so ten meet to eat

I am sure you want to know the truth, trust me

I was asked by a friend this week, at last

I've penned up all my knowledge from the past

But now I'm sure my time has come to speak

I'm sure you know duo / duet means two

You know bicycles have two wheels, not more

A tricycle has three wheels, triads - three

And triplets ride trikes with three wheels, yes three

Quadrangle have four angles at four points

Quadruplets have four times the food and fun

The Pentagon has five sides, we're quite near

A pentameter, five metres - we're done.

A human foot has ten toes, so a foot

In poetry or drama, is a verse

Used by the king, villain or chief or boss

The royals speak with rhythm sounding grand

In Shakespeare you can hear the strong heartbeat

'I am the king who rules the wilful waves

I stand, declaim, and claim, this throne, my seat

Behead the wives, beat slaves and kill the knaves

A hero, or anti hero has visions

To be or not to be has a strong beat

Count your beats, like Hamlet, make decisions

Two lots of four or five, your line's complete. 

It's sort of, not quite, no, that can't be right

Poetic feet have two syllables so a pentameter has ten

A meter's just a measure, rhythm, tight -

Maths wasn't my strong point, let's start again

Trochees stamp on first beats, iambic - two

Trochees have a marching sound, dum dee dum

Iambic sounds more like a flowing sea

Iambic flows on, like waves, leaves on trees.

Pentameter have ten beats in five pairs

Iambic like 'I am', stamps on beat two

The emphasis on second syllable 

Just count beats, it's easy for you to do:

You can if you wish use the useful bold

I dare say you could also under line

Or try Italics if that system helps you

I keep on changing systems all the time

The pentagon has five sides I recall

Ten syllables is easier than eight

Short lines to cut can drive you up the wall

For poems, long pentameters are great.

Unstressed, then stressed, unstressed then stressed

Iambic, oh no, oh woe is me. I feel undressed

Unstressed, then stressed, unstressed, then stressed

I was stuck, but now, I am happy, I am impressed.

-ends-

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You can also write songs in six beats and four to make ten syllables per line, as in the Bee Gees' song, First Of May.