Ginsberg, Allen Poetics Practicum
.,. _
Allen Ginsberg
J?oetics Practicutn
3, 1992
Revised
!"1arch 29, 1995
June
Table of Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
10
Kerouac, " Belie[ & Teclmiq\.~
fo:r Hodern Prose"
Kerouac , "EssentiRJ.s of Soontaneous Prose''
Ginsberg, "Some Different Considerations in Mindful
Jl.rrangernent of Open Verse For:os on the Page"
Ginsberg, "Fourteen Steps for Revising Poetry"
"A Synopsis of Metrical Systems"
"Versification in English Poetry"
Suggest i ons for rebd i ng s in Ezra Pound' s L it&.:r~a
E.B
11
15
16
19
20
23
24
26
27
28
29
33
37
38
39
40
~ay
Select ions from E7.ra Pou nd ' s
Suggestions for :l ~ ~adings
in ~J
J_.it
.
e ra
r y_E
s~
y ~
C. Williams' _s__e_lP.,.Qted
Essays
Sugges_tions for !readings in \•1 . C. ""iLliams · poems
Sugge stions for readi.ngs in Charles Reznikoff's poems
~rungpa
& Ginsberg, ''Meditation & Poetics"
Blakt, rJut line oE Systen: in Jerusalem (S. Foster
Da mon)
Blake: Auguries of Inn ocence
Sh P-lly : Ode tc vvest Wind
Hart Crane: At lcwt is, from .Th_u~rid
Great Prajna J?araiH ita Sut::r.a --- Sunrj.ru Strt.uki, P.osh.i.
"Survey of Hi storical Poetics"
A Scheme of Iijric. Tt1eme: F~ythm
& Cadence
Torn o' Bedlam· s EOiJg
Lady Greensleeves
Wha t Is Beauty But A Breath
Su g gest ed Reading !.·is t : l-1oderns
Addenda 1 9'-93:
42
44
48
53
Ginsb erg, ''Ccsmopolitan Greetings••
Ginsberg. "Mind Writjng Slog~ns•·
Ginsberc-Ginsberg.
(
"MeJ iLa tion & Poetics''
"Mind Wr.1.t:ing: Exe~cis
in Pcetic C h of 1111r S['•·•·t·l1" "dlvlsions of tloe sU1111ds we hc:u "- "tin oc 111otl luJ\\' to 1HJlc it
down." ( Willi:un CIU ius Wlllinms)
Ml':lHOn
• scoru•c No t '"sdr:ctlvlt( o £ C'l" cEH/\TH>N S
lN MINDFUL 1\HH/\NCEMENT OF
OPEN VlmSE FOHMS ON Tl II·: 1'/\< :t·:
I . Count of Hyllublm; (Murinune Moore. Knn•wth Hnxrolh)
(m bic and the ana pestic feet arc sometimes ebuilied 2s n"Jing meters because
the 2cccnied sylhble follows one or two unaccented sylbb lcs, 's return, cOcrr·crcr. Sirn ibrl)',
the trodtaic 2nd the: d ~c tylic
feet 2rc cbssified as falling meters. bcousc Ute 2cccmcd syllable
comes first, 2s laugllta, Jylla bfc.
A little obscrntion will show that c2eh kind of foot has its ow n dl~r•c
tc risuc;
hence,
in e·,cry poem tlu: foot chosen should be2r close relationshi p to the purpose of the p bOy,
0>< well
l or th~ -< lish
~>< n~t
I"
/
/
\C SI \OUU
WltO t"
US SU (('( "'1t flIlY•
welt! £l'ir th~ s.i~ I ~r lfd,
- Tcnn) son, Brrak, _Drr•k.
I / c"t 1"!;:
1bi~k
~£ l?cr ImoGrn (~I
I )I,
/ I"y •n dI'nu/ mJn
" I"y;
Gent
Ncft ~(
:1~pcsti e
Trimeter
Th>l'ncsl rnn s z.h(IJ
;nc~dl
htll;
B~t
kin dl1nd dc{r
I" old
/. IItovtc
/
I1erc,
/
Is" ttc
Aitd my hc>n Is worm
"'dH WUl tcr S Ill.tOl.
/
Pll
-Morris, For the Bc.J at Kcfnllcolf
"I " . / I ,, )(I" cloud
/
no~ •• Ilin hiGb l~cr
v5!cslhr.~
won dcred lone ly
Wh~n
;(tJI ~
lo£
A" ho~t
21
!.tee [1 sl~V
l
~
n :., ~.,
crcf.Yd,
gOld Ih d{cj IS dils.
-Wordsworth. Thr DaQoJi/s .
/
Irny
Oh. let thex sol td &round
Nllt £frlj b~
~B rl.ci~
ifelh~s
Wh~t
.duclo~v
oc~th
lc{l ·
!oGnd
!oGnd ~
swc{c
Tetr:~mcl
-Tennyson, Maud
an:apclt.ic-;;~ sy
'f.
I.\"011 ·utc
'~ [oh,
.1.1
The As
Clme down I ltke
the" woU
"d hu
~ co' I '
• g IeJrn
/ ~ mg •In pur
" p I"c "l l ld go"ld :
An
wrrc
v
'C
/
)(
A·
/
._,
"'<
/
)(
"'
/
And the sheen of thctr spe:ars lw3s ltkc surs) on the sc•.
•
..
I
I
./
X
.I
/
I
.,
"
I
/
When the blue w>Vcs rol 111ght ly on uccp G2 11 cc.
-Dyron, Tlu Dt'JirJJction of St>nnccluriO
"
/I""'
l'ln "
/
lllrB
I'
I
"
I"
Pent3rnctet i:unbic-
"h ~t• ./•c:s Ime won/I dcr)( grc01/ I>(
"
£ili'ne•l 'Of Ul~
no~"
I ~f th~ niflll.
--$winburne, Hymn to l'roin~
t.h~
.
.
x:-1 /"
.lx
" ' lx:2u
[ ' 11 ful, moth er moH
x~/
""[/-.>td
en nrost
trun II
!ul. 1~ dy o( 1hntlr.
/
><
d "£
/ \:uucl
__.._ ·w lausc
.. yc:ns :arc th y nru.h,
Quc"Cn
and rc puo Ia on. ~rownc
o
ccn
/ ><
X
'I(
)(
, )(
)(
/
):I.
,..
/
See for thy ulll.
- Byro n, Stan:a.J for Murit.'
I" / 1,.
IS
I" w>y,
/
1':lt" u/.k·cs
17 thought de cltncslm fcd[m~
X
"I
I / ..
lllC
tlon-
/ I)!.
I"
/.I"'
)(
/ ,~ IS not
)( b1r cr, theX. w1nd
.I I · ~ u not bl11h
l l"'cr
(, tlnn
:'t
I
She)()!(LS htt er U13n ~r th, I"'•nd the~ •un
the:
Frl;rn
yoGwlh~tb
sh~
sho'wnlrn-:; tJ,~
io'rl~£
her b(ys\th~
1 crdtscd,lof h~r dills lttlh 1 c1/.nb,
" now
/ ,.,.
"I"£"
"l"d"'
"I"£
/
T1ll
jth21 the~ tw>tn
o us h'
ere,,...111 de ·urc o I re dJwn
an 111 tru•t
o I IX
tc sc>.
/. out
/ Ifrom
• U1e
" shor/ c I><
" he•rt
/ 1n us btdt >nd be~ >cech cs, > tluru for the o.un.
Stnkc
•• the
·
-Swinburne, In tht JVultr
my
""l"f ,..
I" " /. ,..
Octomclc.c t.rochaicdrn
L:~vc
r~d"!Je{vc
m~lhde,
~nd
m~
i wh{n
jhc[c
~It{
/ I" " ./
tltlwhile
y~ujwint
m~.jsoGnd
~.\yft
I " " (/
·~s je{r 1111/rn;
npjori th~lb
(. cl~ihfrn.
-Tennyson, Locktlty /loll
ly
Tdcscoping or elision of syllables-
A w{;1U~
Ji'kclti·f;n tvl'~b
hriur:
>< to tle gr3ve.
g Jo ryK lea/d but
-Gray, Eltry Jlln'trcn iu a Country Churchyard
/I
.nrc:" plt" IS \x£
0
0,.. n
"II " /
I
d.ltl'l rent sen I•c•" d/IT'
1 I...
rent o/.bl.)(
1
><
/
JCCU
slit(.k e.
-Pope, E.Jtay on i\(on
I~
Non·sylbbic
~d
'h~+;s
h{dl th~
pronouncedUlt
~dJ,
cu~vd
lids,~n
rnfrn\ \'ng's
Jc(p+~rn
frfsh [c1/.r gr/ce.
-Arnold, Tri11ra111 and lsoJt
w(de.
-Kelts, Hypnion
of si!' iambic kc1; it is so c:llcd t eo m e it wls used ii1
The: J\lcundrinc is a line cornp~d
Old French poems on Alc:xlndcr the Crc::L Although widciy used in f-rJucc, it has never
bcc.ornc popular in E nghnd. It WlS usc:J iu the Clrro llic/c of Rol>crt of Gloucester (c. IJOO),
aloug with a seven-accent line; occasio nally in the· mirlclc: and the m o r>lity ph ys: :111d in
VERSlfiCATJON IN ENGLISH POETRY
9i6
Dr:~.pon's
Polyolbion (c. IGIJ). \VIaen the Alcx:1ndrine W:lf :~.ltcru>d
with the scvcll·>cccnt
line, the combination W3S c::dled "poultcr·s measure," beclUSe in the wo1 ds of Ccoq:;c Cu.
coigne (15i5) the poulterer "giveth twelve lor one dozen, :~.nd
thirteen for lnother." Henry
How:~.rd,
E.:u l of Surrey, thus illustntes pouller's tne:~.surc
// ~ Ii.n- ..I ,. quiI/.1>tud/ I"yI"'"I''I /were.
/
,L:lyd
l uw
w1lh m my tr_
oub ilcd hod a hc>pc ol
1
I
my
·I
:u
f
,.
. ,
I'><
Pope cb::trlCtcrized the Alc.x:mdrine :a "l:~nguishy
dow" -
,,
A nectllcst Alc:undrine ends the wnir
Tlut. like >. wounded lg< iu uow lcngd1 along.
'
Used :H Ule end of shortcr·line st.:m:us, however, the· Alc)(andrine :~.ds
t.he effect o{ dignity
2nd serves to join the H:lnu.s in h:umonioiJS progression. Sec the Spenserian St:m= (p. 988),
:wd Th~
Fa1~
Quan~
(Vol. I, p. 394).
Variations
i11 Fat
As c::.n be seen in some: o£ the foregoing ex:>.mplcs, it is not neccsS:>.ry th:u ·,11 fe~t
in l
line of verse be o£ the same kind . Indeed, if they were, the result in l poem of lOY lcngd•
would be not only :w obvious monotony but :tlso a degree of unn2tur:. wwk. or feminine ending. The
omission of syllables :ll the bcginni.'lg of :1 line is c:tlkJ truncation; :tt the end o( :>. line,
cataicxit. A line terminatin g in ~n · imperfect foot is thus c:>.llcJ catalcctic. If the line enJs
with ::1 complete mcu-ic:>.l foot, it is actnl~i,
In the scansion o( :1 line o( verse :1 co.rct
(A) 10:1)' be used to inJc:~te
the omission 'of :1 syllable.
.·
Trochee for t.i2ctyl-
l:unbus for an:tpc.st-
11x
x thex sutc ly sh1ps
.11x/
And
go on /
TS th~ir
o.~vnh
d~ r th~
bill;
)4.
But
o~ 1£or
)(
A':td th~
ili,l "1 " / ,. )(
tc touch 1
o the nn uhc~
)(
/
t,
voice\
/
ho.nd,
>oGnd [~£
~
th"1t
ttilll
- Tennyson, Break,. Brcalr,. Break
An2pcst for umbus~ It roue
./ d my
X h .,r,
/. 1>:'1l lnncd my dtccl<
I
I / .[>'
1/ I./,.
/ "
irl'c 'i't (cic llikcsu>ngclly
~ w{I\c~m
,.,
X
.lkc >
./
t
rnc>d
ow/ g> lcX. of >s:spr~l)('
nunl;,lc d
L\j
'::ng.
th~
,~nr;cl
th~Jb
w~lti[rn(,J
"I /
/ or
" the• Ib>t
,
/ too)( Ido.rk
O>rk,
.Ro{and th~
,~ins
~£1ol
s~.lr
n~p,l\£ih
to~
" )'..I fly/ ·'111g
.
ou l's
- Noyes, Sn•rr• ll' iu Men
D>ctyl lee trocheo:--
/
w11h my (cus, · ·
--Coleridge, Tlu Rime of
l/
1 w.JI
)!
"
K
\Vho1
you
uy when
the world ~I'" u tly me I
wtt:it. wh~n
Mari,cr
x
For
"Iclurm
/ "I
/ cr Ci~ ul It.rou/ blc"
o( pow
2
Like ~ I h~l!
)<
br$d1j ubi! 'ind ll>Gb bl~
- Sllllt the end of rn y ' l\iposrcs' in the >11tUIInl of ' 9 ' J. l rc p•int "'Y
elutions from Pt>hu bte A LIST Of DON'TS r." tl•ose bcg
iun
i n 1~
t o \\: ti le ._~ rsc
. l c:J n iHH put :~ I o f them i11t0 l'rlos aic •wl,;:ui vc.
To be;in with, consider du: tl ucc putpositions (
o(
the Gr:Jcco-ftout3rt gc:unm:uiJns. concoclc•l to c:.,pl:1in du:·ir
III CUC'$.
I.MICUACE
U'c no ~1pcrfltmu:
tlrin!:·
~·nul.
no :.di''' the- t\'l.ich tlo~ic.
n~
inllur:nccd b~
:1< rn:my ~tc:u
:trfiscs
clcccncy cicllf'r U> :. c~ ..n'VI•
~f l~'=
du: tld•t oui!~l.
!'IS )''lll C:ln_
Out
113\' C
the
o r 10 It}" to con~.;Jl
lt.
Don't •lluw 'i nlucr~<
' 111 111can rncrcl)' th>t yu mo p u p rl•e poraicubr cl cct.H:l l ivc vno::tbrrb • v (I( SOi rlc ot iC ur 1':\'0 poe ts wiU'tll you
happen tn :-ulmu c. A · rutld":.l; ~·: c c•H rcspomlt1H w.,-; rc..:cutl y c:mt:hc
rctl·knulc,l b:tlJhlim! in hi~
tlc,p.Hchcs of 'Juvc ·t;tcy' hill5 >·~.,lid'
contcnr, tl~>
SOrlie po~m"
1: ~· hl\ ' ~ rorm J l i 3 r: ~ h:~s
form. SOIIIC: :1~ WJCtr pcJutcrf
im o J. \ ~ . Th:u most S\'nJiue-trical form), ft;\\'f! ct:tt:1in u".rs. 1 h:u :a
VJSt IIUII11J,.r of subj~:CS
'en no t b ~ rn~· c-isdy,
:111d tl.crcf'Ore not p•orintcd o nt drJI
Woro.hi\'Or tlt 1\'0S . SII intent on chc Otdinory or ploin "Urtl rhJo Ire
ne\'C r chor~
l rt .,f lruntim; fo r it nrorjrtlrt.
John Buder Ye:~rs
h>~
h>ndblur rnm· h>llnd rccognit.oblc clo.s room. The~
· orr 'oll •lvcr rhc sloo p'. Is it :rny
~ n11rlcr ' d1f" pub li c i-. imliffcrcm lQ poccc yf'
Don't chop your stulf inro ~c p3re
i.mr6r. Dorc'c nookc coclr line
srop dead >t th< tur3ll:•, your rh:·tlunic srrncoure ; hould no t destroy the shopc
o ( yQur .,.ords, or tlu::ir nJlunl sound, or their ruc:.niug. lt ior; irnprobable clo 3o, >e the scan, you wi ll be able co ger 3 drydcm -suuctu rc
srrong cnouglc to ,f ~ ~ tlrcm ·.-coy mucic, thoug h you may fa ll a
victim to~
SOrts or (~ l sc
s top
in~
due IO line errds and C:I!SUtJ~.
'I he Musicion can cd;: S ~
I. Don't be de>cripcivc; remc111ber th>t che p.1ir11cr carr
,.\ . ~I,
lescrihe • l>ndsc:>pc much better chan you co n, , ,.,1 that he Ira< ro
1.t ~ ~til
·~
ro•• a deal mott >bout ir.
.tY'~ 1 - ~ 1 ,4
When S lrakc
s.p~ore
t:1ll:s .,r tlr~
· Do111n in w s~c c lll'rrdc clad ' he
_ v.~if-t'
1
r {!:/-Y~
~e;
~
t
b.J e,.'rit es it. The C\rcnmcntll dcrnon srr.uiot1'\ c( 9 11c 111:tn tn:a·: or;:1w• the time nf 01:tn v· -11cncc rnv furore
O'lcr Arn:nn 1) ; 1icl
- if~ m:~n's
c:'t peri rllcrus tr)· out 011e rtf!·\\. rime.
or di ~pc n sc cund~ivy
·;' ill• 0 111· if)I:J t)f currcruly acccpccd non · in g f>io ...·jtlclris col~agus
...,frcn Icc chJiks up
scnsc,lrc i> rncrdy piJ~
lti~
resu lt.
No uun c:·.-cr tnitcs \'c ry euuch p(>e
cr ~ cl•:tt "rn:tocrs'. In bulk,
III:J t i~, no one P'nduccs much ch:u is rln3l, :.nd "'·lien a mJn is H O I
doi11'11flis l1ighc5t fl! itn! 1 this ~:1,_ im; the tl 1 in~
OIICC for lll :J11d rcr r lo uaAOOp'!)v' . &9Crvo: r •• A~p05l
T().
JC.-:d y; ,.-lu:n ltc is 1\'Jt JU.:thliu~
or 'llist-sJid !:Jtc tire Quc••n',lrc had nmch better he rnaki~
tlr"
snrn c)( crpcrimc''' ':l),j,..)r, .. ~,. brnflrtr tn lwtm i11l1i-s blcr ~ ·n tk.
0'
t o hi-. .!iHCCCSSiliS.
'llrr lrf so r
bc!!,in l1i~
'""
Allen Ginsberg
J?oetics Practicutn
3, 1992
Revised
!"1arch 29, 1995
June
Table of Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
10
Kerouac, " Belie[ & Teclmiq\.~
fo:r Hodern Prose"
Kerouac , "EssentiRJ.s of Soontaneous Prose''
Ginsberg, "Some Different Considerations in Mindful
Jl.rrangernent of Open Verse For:os on the Page"
Ginsberg, "Fourteen Steps for Revising Poetry"
"A Synopsis of Metrical Systems"
"Versification in English Poetry"
Suggest i ons for rebd i ng s in Ezra Pound' s L it&.:r~a
E.B
11
15
16
19
20
23
24
26
27
28
29
33
37
38
39
40
~ay
Select ions from E7.ra Pou nd ' s
Suggestions for :l ~ ~adings
in ~J
J_.it
.
e ra
r y_E
s~
y ~
C. Williams' _s__e_lP.,.Qted
Essays
Sugges_tions for !readings in \•1 . C. ""iLliams · poems
Sugge stions for readi.ngs in Charles Reznikoff's poems
~rungpa
& Ginsberg, ''Meditation & Poetics"
Blakt, rJut line oE Systen: in Jerusalem (S. Foster
Da mon)
Blake: Auguries of Inn ocence
Sh P-lly : Ode tc vvest Wind
Hart Crane: At lcwt is, from .Th_u~rid
Great Prajna J?araiH ita Sut::r.a --- Sunrj.ru Strt.uki, P.osh.i.
"Survey of Hi storical Poetics"
A Scheme of Iijric. Tt1eme: F~ythm
& Cadence
Torn o' Bedlam· s EOiJg
Lady Greensleeves
Wha t Is Beauty But A Breath
Su g gest ed Reading !.·is t : l-1oderns
Addenda 1 9'-93:
42
44
48
53
Ginsb erg, ''Ccsmopolitan Greetings••
Ginsberg. "Mind Writjng Slog~ns•·
Ginsberc-Ginsberg.
(
"MeJ iLa tion & Poetics''
"Mind Wr.1.t:ing: Exe~cis
in Pcetic C h of 1111r S['•·•·t·l1" "dlvlsions of tloe sU1111ds we hc:u "- "tin oc 111otl luJ\\' to 1HJlc it
down." ( Willi:un CIU ius Wlllinms)
Ml':lHOn
• scoru•c No t '"sdr:ctlvlt( o £ C'l" cEH/\TH>N S
lN MINDFUL 1\HH/\NCEMENT OF
OPEN VlmSE FOHMS ON Tl II·: 1'/\< :t·:
I . Count of Hyllublm; (Murinune Moore. Knn•wth Hnxrolh)
(m bic and the ana pestic feet arc sometimes ebuilied 2s n"Jing meters because
the 2cccnied sylhble follows one or two unaccented sylbb lcs, 's return, cOcrr·crcr. Sirn ibrl)',
the trodtaic 2nd the: d ~c tylic
feet 2rc cbssified as falling meters. bcousc Ute 2cccmcd syllable
comes first, 2s laugllta, Jylla bfc.
A little obscrntion will show that c2eh kind of foot has its ow n dl~r•c
tc risuc;
hence,
in e·,cry poem tlu: foot chosen should be2r close relationshi p to the purpose of the p bOy,
0>< well
l or th~ -< lish
~>< n~t
I"
/
/
\C SI \OUU
WltO t"
US SU (('( "'1t flIlY•
welt! £l'ir th~ s.i~ I ~r lfd,
- Tcnn) son, Brrak, _Drr•k.
I / c"t 1"!;:
1bi~k
~£ l?cr ImoGrn (~I
I )I,
/ I"y •n dI'nu/ mJn
" I"y;
Gent
Ncft ~(
:1~pcsti e
Trimeter
Th>l'ncsl rnn s z.h(IJ
;nc~dl
htll;
B~t
kin dl1nd dc{r
I" old
/. IItovtc
/
I1erc,
/
Is" ttc
Aitd my hc>n Is worm
"'dH WUl tcr S Ill.tOl.
/
Pll
-Morris, For the Bc.J at Kcfnllcolf
"I " . / I ,, )(I" cloud
/
no~ •• Ilin hiGb l~cr
v5!cslhr.~
won dcred lone ly
Wh~n
;(tJI ~
lo£
A" ho~t
21
!.tee [1 sl~V
l
~
n :., ~.,
crcf.Yd,
gOld Ih d{cj IS dils.
-Wordsworth. Thr DaQoJi/s .
/
Irny
Oh. let thex sol td &round
Nllt £frlj b~
~B rl.ci~
ifelh~s
Wh~t
.duclo~v
oc~th
lc{l ·
!oGnd
!oGnd ~
swc{c
Tetr:~mcl
-Tennyson, Maud
an:apclt.ic-;;~ sy
'f.
I.\"011 ·utc
'~ [oh,
.1.1
The As
Clme down I ltke
the" woU
"d hu
~ co' I '
• g IeJrn
/ ~ mg •In pur
" p I"c "l l ld go"ld :
An
wrrc
v
'C
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And the sheen of thctr spe:ars lw3s ltkc surs) on the sc•.
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When the blue w>Vcs rol 111ght ly on uccp G2 11 cc.
-Dyron, Tlu Dt'JirJJction of St>nnccluriO
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Pent3rnctet i:unbic-
"h ~t• ./•c:s Ime won/I dcr)( grc01/ I>(
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£ili'ne•l 'Of Ul~
no~"
I ~f th~ niflll.
--$winburne, Hymn to l'roin~
t.h~
.
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x:-1 /"
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[ ' 11 ful, moth er moH
x~/
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en nrost
trun II
!ul. 1~ dy o( 1hntlr.
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d "£
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Quc"Cn
and rc puo Ia on. ~rownc
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See for thy ulll.
- Byro n, Stan:a.J for Murit.'
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IS
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17 thought de cltncslm fcd[m~
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.I I · ~ u not bl11h
l l"'cr
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She)()!(LS htt er U13n ~r th, I"'•nd the~ •un
the:
Frl;rn
yoGwlh~tb
sh~
sho'wnlrn-:; tJ,~
io'rl~£
her b(ys\th~
1 crdtscd,lof h~r dills lttlh 1 c1/.nb,
" now
/ ,.,.
"I"£"
"l"d"'
"I"£
/
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jth21 the~ tw>tn
o us h'
ere,,...111 de ·urc o I re dJwn
an 111 tru•t
o I IX
tc sc>.
/. out
/ Ifrom
• U1e
" shor/ c I><
" he•rt
/ 1n us btdt >nd be~ >cech cs, > tluru for the o.un.
Stnkc
•• the
·
-Swinburne, In tht JVultr
my
""l"f ,..
I" " /. ,..
Octomclc.c t.rochaicdrn
L:~vc
r~d"!Je{vc
m~lhde,
~nd
m~
i wh{n
jhc[c
~It{
/ I" " ./
tltlwhile
y~ujwint
m~.jsoGnd
~.\yft
I " " (/
·~s je{r 1111/rn;
npjori th~lb
(. cl~ihfrn.
-Tennyson, Locktlty /loll
ly
Tdcscoping or elision of syllables-
A w{;1U~
Ji'kclti·f;n tvl'~b
hriur:
>< to tle gr3ve.
g Jo ryK lea/d but
-Gray, Eltry Jlln'trcn iu a Country Churchyard
/I
.nrc:" plt" IS \x£
0
0,.. n
"II " /
I
d.ltl'l rent sen I•c•" d/IT'
1 I...
rent o/.bl.)(
1
><
/
JCCU
slit(.k e.
-Pope, E.Jtay on i\(on
I~
Non·sylbbic
~d
'h~+;s
h{dl th~
pronouncedUlt
~dJ,
cu~vd
lids,~n
rnfrn\ \'ng's
Jc(p+~rn
frfsh [c1/.r gr/ce.
-Arnold, Tri11ra111 and lsoJt
w(de.
-Kelts, Hypnion
of si!' iambic kc1; it is so c:llcd t eo m e it wls used ii1
The: J\lcundrinc is a line cornp~d
Old French poems on Alc:xlndcr the Crc::L Although widciy used in f-rJucc, it has never
bcc.ornc popular in E nghnd. It WlS usc:J iu the Clrro llic/c of Rol>crt of Gloucester (c. IJOO),
aloug with a seven-accent line; occasio nally in the· mirlclc: and the m o r>lity ph ys: :111d in
VERSlfiCATJON IN ENGLISH POETRY
9i6
Dr:~.pon's
Polyolbion (c. IGIJ). \VIaen the Alcx:1ndrine W:lf :~.ltcru>d
with the scvcll·>cccnt
line, the combination W3S c::dled "poultcr·s measure," beclUSe in the wo1 ds of Ccoq:;c Cu.
coigne (15i5) the poulterer "giveth twelve lor one dozen, :~.nd
thirteen for lnother." Henry
How:~.rd,
E.:u l of Surrey, thus illustntes pouller's tne:~.surc
// ~ Ii.n- ..I ,. quiI/.1>tud/ I"yI"'"I''I /were.
/
,L:lyd
l uw
w1lh m my tr_
oub ilcd hod a hc>pc ol
1
I
my
·I
:u
f
,.
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Pope cb::trlCtcrized the Alc.x:mdrine :a "l:~nguishy
dow" -
,,
A nectllcst Alc:undrine ends the wnir
Tlut. like >. wounded lg< iu uow lcngd1 along.
'
Used :H Ule end of shortcr·line st.:m:us, however, the· Alc)(andrine :~.ds
t.he effect o{ dignity
2nd serves to join the H:lnu.s in h:umonioiJS progression. Sec the Spenserian St:m= (p. 988),
:wd Th~
Fa1~
Quan~
(Vol. I, p. 394).
Variations
i11 Fat
As c::.n be seen in some: o£ the foregoing ex:>.mplcs, it is not neccsS:>.ry th:u ·,11 fe~t
in l
line of verse be o£ the same kind . Indeed, if they were, the result in l poem of lOY lcngd•
would be not only :w obvious monotony but :tlso a degree of unn2tur:. wwk. or feminine ending. The
omission of syllables :ll the bcginni.'lg of :1 line is c:tlkJ truncation; :tt the end o( :>. line,
cataicxit. A line terminatin g in ~n · imperfect foot is thus c:>.llcJ catalcctic. If the line enJs
with ::1 complete mcu-ic:>.l foot, it is actnl~i,
In the scansion o( :1 line o( verse :1 co.rct
(A) 10:1)' be used to inJc:~te
the omission 'of :1 syllable.
.·
Trochee for t.i2ctyl-
l:unbus for an:tpc.st-
11x
x thex sutc ly sh1ps
.11x/
And
go on /
TS th~ir
o.~vnh
d~ r th~
bill;
)4.
But
o~ 1£or
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ili,l "1 " / ,. )(
tc touch 1
o the nn uhc~
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voice\
/
ho.nd,
>oGnd [~£
~
th"1t
ttilll
- Tennyson, Break,. Brcalr,. Break
An2pcst for umbus~ It roue
./ d my
X h .,r,
/. 1>:'1l lnncd my dtccl<
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irl'c 'i't (cic llikcsu>ngclly
~ w{I\c~m
,.,
X
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t
rnc>d
ow/ g> lcX. of >s:spr~l)('
nunl;,lc d
L\j
'::ng.
th~
,~nr;cl
th~Jb
w~lti[rn(,J
"I /
/ or
" the• Ib>t
,
/ too)( Ido.rk
O>rk,
.Ro{and th~
,~ins
~£1ol
s~.lr
n~p,l\£ih
to~
" )'..I fly/ ·'111g
.
ou l's
- Noyes, Sn•rr• ll' iu Men
D>ctyl lee trocheo:--
/
w11h my (cus, · ·
--Coleridge, Tlu Rime of
l/
1 w.JI
)!
"
K
\Vho1
you
uy when
the world ~I'" u tly me I
wtt:it. wh~n
Mari,cr
x
For
"Iclurm
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o( pow
2
Like ~ I h~l!
)<
br$d1j ubi! 'ind ll>Gb bl~
- Sllllt the end of rn y ' l\iposrcs' in the >11tUIInl of ' 9 ' J. l rc p•int "'Y
elutions from Pt>hu bte A LIST Of DON'TS r." tl•ose bcg
iun
i n 1~
t o \\: ti le ._~ rsc
. l c:J n iHH put :~ I o f them i11t0 l'rlos aic •wl,;:ui vc.
To be;in with, consider du: tl ucc putpositions (
o(
the Gr:Jcco-ftout3rt gc:unm:uiJns. concoclc•l to c:.,pl:1in du:·ir
III CUC'$.
I.MICUACE
U'c no ~1pcrfltmu:
tlrin!:·
~·nul.
no :.di''' the- t\'l.ich tlo~ic.
n~
inllur:nccd b~
:1< rn:my ~tc:u
:trfiscs
clcccncy cicllf'r U> :. c~ ..n'VI•
~f l~'=
du: tld•t oui!~l.
!'IS )''lll C:ln_
Out
113\' C
the
o r 10 It}" to con~.;Jl
lt.
Don't •lluw 'i nlucr~<
' 111 111can rncrcl)' th>t yu mo p u p rl•e poraicubr cl cct.H:l l ivc vno::tbrrb • v (I( SOi rlc ot iC ur 1':\'0 poe ts wiU'tll you
happen tn :-ulmu c. A · rutld":.l; ~·: c c•H rcspomlt1H w.,-; rc..:cutl y c:mt:hc
rctl·knulc,l b:tlJhlim! in hi~
tlc,p.Hchcs of 'Juvc ·t;tcy' hill5 >·~.,lid'
contcnr, tl~>
SOrlie po~m"
1: ~· hl\ ' ~ rorm J l i 3 r: ~ h:~s
form. SOIIIC: :1~ WJCtr pcJutcrf
im o J. \ ~ . Th:u most S\'nJiue-trical form), ft;\\'f! ct:tt:1in u".rs. 1 h:u :a
VJSt IIUII11J,.r of subj~:CS
'en no t b ~ rn~· c-isdy,
:111d tl.crcf'Ore not p•orintcd o nt drJI
Woro.hi\'Or tlt 1\'0S . SII intent on chc Otdinory or ploin "Urtl rhJo Ire
ne\'C r chor~
l rt .,f lruntim; fo r it nrorjrtlrt.
John Buder Ye:~rs
h>~
h>ndblur rnm· h>llnd rccognit.oblc clo.s room. The~
· orr 'oll •lvcr rhc sloo p'. Is it :rny
~ n11rlcr ' d1f" pub li c i-. imliffcrcm lQ poccc yf'
Don't chop your stulf inro ~c p3re
i.mr6r. Dorc'c nookc coclr line
srop dead >t th< tur3ll:•, your rh:·tlunic srrncoure ; hould no t destroy the shopc
o ( yQur .,.ords, or tlu::ir nJlunl sound, or their ruc:.niug. lt ior; irnprobable clo 3o, >e the scan, you wi ll be able co ger 3 drydcm -suuctu rc
srrong cnouglc to ,f ~ ~ tlrcm ·.-coy mucic, thoug h you may fa ll a
victim to~
SOrts or (~ l sc
s top
in~
due IO line errds and C:I!SUtJ~.
'I he Musicion can cd;: S ~
I. Don't be de>cripcivc; remc111ber th>t che p.1ir11cr carr
,.\ . ~I,
lescrihe • l>ndsc:>pc much better chan you co n, , ,.,1 that he Ira< ro
1.t ~ ~til
·~
ro•• a deal mott >bout ir.
.tY'~ 1 - ~ 1 ,4
When S lrakc
s.p~ore
t:1ll:s .,r tlr~
· Do111n in w s~c c lll'rrdc clad ' he
_ v.~if-t'
1
r {!:/-Y~
~e;
~
t
b.J e,.'rit es it. The C\rcnmcntll dcrnon srr.uiot1'\ c( 9 11c 111:tn tn:a·: or;:1w• the time nf 01:tn v· -11cncc rnv furore
O'lcr Arn:nn 1) ; 1icl
- if~ m:~n's
c:'t peri rllcrus tr)· out 011e rtf!·\\. rime.
or di ~pc n sc cund~ivy
·;' ill• 0 111· if)I:J t)f currcruly acccpccd non · in g f>io ...·jtlclris col~agus
...,frcn Icc chJiks up
scnsc,lrc i> rncrdy piJ~
lti~
resu lt.
No uun c:·.-cr tnitcs \'c ry euuch p(>e
cr ~ cl•:tt "rn:tocrs'. In bulk,
III:J t i~, no one P'nduccs much ch:u is rln3l, :.nd "'·lien a mJn is H O I
doi11'11flis l1ighc5t fl! itn! 1 this ~:1,_ im; the tl 1 in~
OIICC for lll :J11d rcr r lo uaAOOp'!)v' . &9Crvo: r •• A~p05l
T().
JC.-:d y; ,.-lu:n ltc is 1\'Jt JU.:thliu~
or 'llist-sJid !:Jtc tire Quc••n',lrc had nmch better he rnaki~
tlr"
snrn c)( crpcrimc''' ':l),j,..)r, .. ~,. brnflrtr tn lwtm i11l1i-s blcr ~ ·n tk.
0'
t o hi-. .!iHCCCSSiliS.
'llrr lrf so r
bc!!,in l1i~
'""