Vol 3 No 1 2009
The Metrical Compass [Back
to Essay]
Tips for Writing in Meter
Step 1. Writing Early Drafts
There are two main methods; choose the one that sounds most enjoyable to you.
Method A: Start by feeling the beat strongly and then open yourself to letting the words come. Do not censor yourself. Relax, or allow the meter itself to relax you. Meter can hypnotize your mind so that you may write things you never intended to say. Dance or chant your words. Write nonsense if it’s easier.
Method B: Write what you want to say in prose, free verse, or in a meter that is easy for you. Then choose a meter to translate it into. You might listen for a meter that is beginning to emerge by itself, or simply decide which meter you want to use. As you translate it, read it aloud as you go to make sure you are still on track with the beat.
Whichever method you use, read aloud to yourself frequently as you write.
Step 2. Check for Meter
Check for metrical consistency by reading your poem aloud and exaggerating your intended meter. When you find a place where the wrong syllable of a word is emphasized, stop. This is your signal to fix the meter. For example, if you intended to write anapestic meter, read your lines aloud like this:
I am WRITing in ANapests NOW, and you KNOW
that it MAKES things sound STRANGE to do THAT, but don't WOR-
ry, just GO on, you KNOW we can SING, happilY
As you are reading and exaggerating, when you get to the word "happilY," your ear will notice that the third syllable sounds unnatural when it is accented. That’s a signal that that part of the poem is not following the base meter. Often, a simple change of word order will fix the meter—in this case, "we can HAPpily SING." Until you have the basic pattern down and are quite sure of your ear and, it is best to follow the base meter exactly, with no variations at all. (If you are confident you know what you are doing and are ready to try varying the meter on purpose, see Step 4.)
Step 3. Check for Language
Check your poem for the following common mistakes and correct them:
• Any unnatural word order (syntax). Example: "my hat so red I put on my head"
• Filler words that don’t mean anything. Example: “the sun so bright,” “when I did go outside.”
• Archaic or overly literary words that you would never use otherwise, that thought they had a right to sneak in along with the meter. Example: "e'er," "yonder," "lo!."
Step 4. Check for Fluidity
• Once you are sure your meter is right, read your poem aloud and notice places where the rhythm sounds too sing-song or mechanical or predictable. Experiment with changing these places. Sometimes a simple word change that doesn't actually change the meter will work. For example, the line "We WALK unDER the SUNny SKY" sounds mechanical, while substituting the word "AMPle" for "SUNny" sounds much more fluid and interesting. The meter is the same, but the consonants and vowels are different, slowing the word in different places and giving the line more rhythmic interest.
• In other cases, you may want to try some of the metrical variations discussed in the chapters that follow. After a little practice, your ear will tell you which variations add fluidity and which ones undermine the meter.
• After adding variations, read your poem aloud again with your meaning or emotional tone in mind, to see if the variation adds meaning to the poem. Be careful that the rhythm works for the mood you are trying to set, not against it.
Step 4. Listen to Your Poem
• Read your poem in a natural voice, with natural intonation, to yourself. Or sing it. See how it sounds. Feel free to dwell on the rhythm, immerse yourself in it. Tinker with it for fun.
• Read it to a friend. Ask your friend to close their eyes and listen not for the meaning of the words, but for the sound. Ask them if they notice any places where the beat sounds off, boring places, interesting places, beautiful places.
Step 5. Listen to Your Poem Freshly
Let the poem sit for as long as possible without looking at it, and then read it aloud to yourself one more time.
Annie Finch