1. Understand the Basic Principles of Stress:
* Natural Stress: In English, most words have a natural stress pattern. For example, "father" has the stress on the first syllable, while "guitar" has it on the second.
* Poetic Meter: Poets often use a specific meter, like iambic pentameter, where stressed and unstressed syllables follow a pattern. In iambic pentameter, each line has five metrical feet, each foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM).
2. Analyze the Poem's Structure:
* "Cross of Snow" uses a regular iambic pentameter structure, with five iambs (da-DUM) per line. This makes it easier to identify the stress pattern.
* While the poem generally follows iambic pentameter, poets sometimes adjust the rhythm for emphasis or artistic effect. These deviations are called "metrical variations".
3. Consider the Meaning and Context:
* Even within the iambic pentameter structure, a word's meaning can influence its stress. For example, in "The _sleet_ing _snow_," the word "sleet" might be emphasized depending on the intended focus.
* Consider the flow and natural pauses of the poem. Where would the voice naturally rise and fall?
4. Practice with "Cross of Snow":
Here's a line from the poem with the stress marked:
> The _sleet_ing _snow_ de_scends_ up_on_ my _grave_
Notice how the stressed syllables fall on the second beat of each iamb (DUM). This pattern is typical of iambic pentameter.
5. Resources:
* Online Metrical Scanners: Websites and tools can help you scan poetry for stressed and unstressed syllables.
* Poetry Analysis Books: Reference books dedicated to poetic analysis can provide in-depth explanations of metrical patterns and techniques.
Key Point: Understanding the basic principles of stress and the specific meter of "Cross of Snow" (iambic pentameter) will help you identify the stressed and unstressed syllables in the poem.