The flaw in metric poetry
that you and I too often see,
is absence of a counterpoint
which throws a poem out of joint.
The counterpoint is useful as a tool
that oft, outside a given rule,
allows for tweaking any line
and turns words into ‘stuff’ divine.
Iambics must not always end
on stronger beats, but they should blend;
inflection may be strong or weak,
but all should sound as one would speak.
Avoid abruptness in your verse;
short lines will make a poem terse
and lack the pleasing ding-dong chime
that adds much to a well-done rhyme.
Trochees and Iambs may be mixed,
instead of always being fixed;
and pyrrhic, spondee feet work fine
along with an Iambic line.
However: after what I’ve said,
please keep in mind, when all is read,
the dominant foot remains in view;
and that’s the word from me to you.
