Here's a breakdown:
* Meter is a recurring pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
* It creates a rhythm and contributes to the overall musicality and effect of the poem.
* Different types of meter have different names, such as iambic pentameter, trochaic tetrameter, etc.
For example:
* Iambic pentameter consists of five iambs (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable) per line:
* *da-DUM* *da-DUM* *da-DUM* *da-DUM* *da-DUM*
* Trochaic tetrameter consists of four trochees (a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable) per line:
* *DUM-da* *DUM-da* *DUM-da* *DUM-da*
Understanding meter is key to appreciating the sound and meaning of poetry!