POETRY
Meter and Rhyme...the Musical Elements of Poetry
When we think of poetry, many of us recall what we learned in school: lines with rhythmic patterns like duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH or da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM. This rhythmic element, known as meter, creates a sense of unending repetition, similar to a wind-up toy playing a drum stuck on the same soft and hard beats. Despite this repetitive nature, meter gives poetry a musical quality, enhancing its overall aesthetic and emotional impact.
Another key element we remember is rhyme. Rhyme involves words with similar sounds, especially at the ends of lines in poetry. These rhymes can appear at the end of lines (end rhyme) or within lines (internal rhyme). Rhyme enhances the musicality of a poem, creates rhythm, and emphasizes certain words or ideas. Overall, rhyme is a fundamental aspect of poetry that adds texture, structure, and depth to the language.
When we think back on our study of poetry, many of us recall the abundance of rhyming lines and the frequently taught poets like Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Yeats, Whitman, Dickinson, Frost, and Sandburg. However, some of us were fortunate enough to be introduced to contemporary poets such as Joy Harjo, Mary Oliver, Terrance Hayes, Ada Limón, Layli Long Soldier, Louise Glück, Tracy K. Smith, Juan Felipe Herrera, Margaret Atwood, Sherman Alexie, Martín Espada, Ocean Vuong, David Whyte, Claudia Rankine, Alice Walker, Elizabeth Bishop, Gwendolyn Brooks, Billy Collins, Maya Angelou, Heid E. Erdrich, Allen Ginsberg, Rita Dove, Mark Doty, Francisco X. Alarcón, Amanda Gorman, Richard Blanco, Cornelius Eady, Shel Silverstein, Alejandro Díaz Valer, and many more.
What about Bob Dylan? Yes, he is widely considered a poet due to the literary quality of his lyrics, the recognition he has received from the literary community, and his ability to craft profound and impactful poetic expressions through his music. Many of our lyricist musicians are also considered poets, including Jim Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Tupac Shakur (2Pac), John Lennon, Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine), Stevie Nicks, and Paul McCartney. Poetry today has grown leaps and bounds with contemporary poets, while early poets like Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Dickinson, and Whitman are now seen as distant cousins who laid the poetic foundation for today’s poets and lyricists.
Delving deeper into poetry can be an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience.
