A Modest Proposal (Meter Discussion)

[Erthona]

This notion that an in depth understanding of meter is somehow optional is a serious error (I know nobody seriously thought this, but every now and again I get in a get up on the soapbox and pontificate mood, so...). The why is it is the quickest and best route to understanding the rhythmic components of poetry. All poetry (and yes it is an absolute and I stand by it) should have a rhythmical component to it. The rhythm, cadence, beat, meter, et al., is the basic energy that drives the poem. Have you read a syllabic poem that has no rhythm? Even in syllabic poetry there is an effort, often an unconscious one, to impart an underlying rhythm to the poem. I once knew a fellow who only wrote syllabic poetry. He never seemed to write or even be aware of the rhythmic quality. Even though his content was often very interesting I have never found anything more consistently boring than his poetry. He was a great guy, very intelligent, but his poetry was soulless. The rhythm in a poem is it's soul. One who is not knowledgeably about rhythm often mistake free verse as having no rhythm. This is thought because the person cannot recognize the subtle rhythm in the poem. It does not matter if a reader recognizes it, it is unnecessary. However an aspiring poet cannot remain ignorant of it. In just about any field of endeavor there are going to be these sorts of things one must learn; things that cannot be learned out of a book, but only through repetition, practice, critique and reevaluation. I am very grateful for what formal poetry (metrical poetry) has taught me. This is the thing, rhythm is necessary to poetry, without it poetry becomes dull, boring, drab, dry and soulless, regardless how exciting the content: to learn about rhythm, start with meter. All of this could be wrong. It just so happens in this case it isn't. Learn your parts well, the first recital is Tuesday 4pm at milo's house. Don't forget to bring your Whitman, Dickinson was last semester. 

Consider this your Erthona infarted wisdom for the day

Say, aren't Erthona and wisdom mutually exclusive? Hush maybe they won't realize that.
(Pay no attention to the man behind the fourth wall.)


Dale