Line length in poetry

[milo]

If one line is one breath, then you must read through a long line more quickly, or you will run out of breath.
Of course a short line is over sooner, but a series of sort line is full of pauses; if the whole series were combined into one line, would it not run on, and leave you out of breath? And what is terse verse if not condensed language in slow, measured, yet economic delivery?

It is an effect I rarely use as it bores me so I am not that interested in defending one view point or another.

I think the line as a breath is more one line of ip is the equivalent of one average breath, shorter lines get more lines forced into the same space.

Anyway, like I said, I believe the current consensus is that shorter lines quicken the pace and longer lines slow it down but I have never really investigated the cause much myself. I prefer, as I am sure you are aware, using natural meter for those effects and letting the line end on the best word for emphasis (hopefully pointing back to the central metaphor)

Oh, c'mon milo! Where is your spirit of rebellion?
I dunno as a songwriter and lyricist, I know long lines must be sung fast /to fit the measure/, and short lines are often full of rests and staccato bursts. Anything beyond the realm of the lyric is beyond me.

alright, continuing, I think because songs have a specific number of beats per measure, regardless of what would happen with natural meter short lines will be stretched (slowed) and long lines will be rushed.

In poetry it is different.

Of course in formal structures short lines are quicker (tetrameter or trimeter compared to pentameter or hexameter) just due to the beats. I think generally, this is where most of my pace/length comes from as I tend to compose with a thought toward how many beats in the line. Read through a tetrametric sonnet and you will definitely notice the haste.

(terse verse, btw, is a 2 word rhyming "poem", like fellow-hello!)