Rhythm and Meter Lesson 4

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“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Caroll

“Jabberwocky” 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree, And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. by Lewis Carroll

Background A poem’s meaning can be found in its structural, stylistic, and verbal components. Two such components are rhythm and meter, long regarded as distinguishing features of verse. Poems may be written in fixed forms— traditional verse forms that require certain predetermined structural elements of meter, rhythm, and rhyme, such as a sonnet or a ballad—or open form. Not all poets write in fixed forms or meter, but all poets employ rhythm. Rhythm is created by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poetic line. Scansion is the art of listening carefully to the sounds of a poem and trying to make sense of it. This includes paying attention to each poetic foot, each stressed or unstressed syllable, and—if applicable—to the poem’s rhyme scheme. Most nineteenth-century poets, including Emily Dickinson, wrote primarily in fixed forms with identifiable meters. Dickinson drew her meter from Protestant hymns sung in the churches in Amherst, Massachusetts

Most 19 th century poets, including Emily Dickinson, wrote primarily fixed forms with identifiable meters. Dickinson drew her meter from Protestant hymns sung in church.

Vocabulary: “Because I could not…” Gossamer, n. 1) an extremely delicate variety of gauze, used especially for veils 2) A cobweb Tippet, n. A woman’s fur cape or woolen shawl Tulle, n. Fine (often starched) net used for veils, tutus, or gowns Cornice, n. An ornamental molding around the wall of a room just below the ceiling

“Because I could not stop for Death” Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. We passed the school, where children strove At recess, in the ring; We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun. Or rather, he passed us; The dews grew quivering and chill, For only gossamer my gown, My tippet only tulle. We paused before a house that seemed A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses' heads Were toward eternity. -by Emily Dickinson

Poetry, rhyme and Meter Long ago people sang their poems to remember them easier—they would also have them rhyme for ease of memorizing Notice the rhyme and meter of Frost’s poem: Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Poetry and Rhyme The End Rhymes Frost used are called Perfect Rhymes: know/though Much of poetry today does not rhyme perfectly Thought to take the surprise and freshness out of a poem—too sing-songy, like a greeting card Best rhymes sound natural: end up using slant and internal rhyme

Slant Rhyme I heard a fly buzz when I died; The stillness round my form Was like the stillness in the air Between the heaves of storm. The eyes beside had wrung them dry, And breaths were gathering sure For that last onset, when the king Be witnessed in his power. I willed my keepsakes, signed away What portion of me I Could make assignable,-and then There interposed a fly, With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz, Between the light and me; And then the windows failed, and then I could not see to see.

Rhythm and Meter Rhythm is the sound of stresses, or accents, that we hear in words: bum-BUM (i.e. an iamb) or to-DAY, BUM-bum (i.e. a trochee) or THUN-der, or bum-bum-BUM (i.e. anapest) or dis-a-POINT Meter goes a step further: it is the pattern of rhythms Meters are made when you use rhythms in certain patterns (i.e. iambic pentameter)

Iambic Pentameter Meter Whose WOODS these ARE i THINK i KNOW His HOUSE is IN the VILlage THOUGH He WILL not SEE me STOPping HERE To WATCH his WOODS fill UP with SNOW

Scansion The act of analyzing a verse’s metrical form When scanning a poem, use an accent (‘) over each stressed syllable and a breve or “little round cup” (ᵕ) over each unstressed syllable. How would you scan “Because I could not stop for death”?

Try scanning your individual poem

Rhythm and Meaning Being aware of rhythms of your words can help you write stronger—If you choose your words just right, a poem can sing, march, surprise or even laugh on the page The meter chosen can have a direct impact on the tone of the poem as well—can make it feel rushed, slow, simplistic etc.

Form Some poets use forms (i.e. sonnet, villanelle, haiku, limerick) to challenge themselves Forces poet to write a poem in a way that is different from their normal habit Helps to discover new things about language Certain forms also work well with different subject matters (loss, grief, love etc.)

WRITING EXERCISE!

Ballad Form A ballad is a song that uses a pattern called a ballad stanza. The stanza has four lines in which the second and fourth lines share the rhyme The first and the third lines do not share a rhyme with any line in that stanza. Each stanza has the same rhyme pattern. Each line also uses a specific amount of syllables. The first line and the third line use 8 syllables The second and fourth lines use 6 syllables. Line syllables The engine makes the thrust to go. Line syllables/last word rhymes with line 4 Wings make lift, pulling high! Line syllables My fuselage is sleek and strong. Line syllables/last word rhymes with line 2 Rise above weight - I fly

Take a favorite fairy tale and recast it in the form of a ballad. Your ballad should be at least six stanzas (four lines each) long. *Though not necessarily ballads, look at these poems on fairy tales to get ideas: “Cinderella” by Sylvia Plath “Princess and the Pea” by Joseph Stanton

Popular Fairy Tales : Beauty and the Beast Tom Thumb Princess and the Pea Cinderella Rumpelstiltskin Hansel and Gretel Emperor’s New Clothes Jack and the Beanstock Goldilocks and the Three Bears Snow White Little Mermaid Little Red Riding Hood Puss in Boots Sleeping Beauty Three Little Pigs Ugly Duckling Thumbelina

Homework Try scanning your poem. What kind of rhythm does it have? Take a look at the sheet of sound devices. Does your poem include Repetition? Alliteration? Rhyme? If so, mark where those elements exist, and then discuss how they strengthen the tone or theme of the poem. To Turn In: Your poem marked up, noting the use of different sound devices A screen shot of the Sound Devices section of your Prezi. Typed fairy tale ballad

Prezi so far…Stay Caught Up! This is what you should have completed in your Prezi by Tuesday: Poet’s bio/background Slide of your poem (with recording of it being read/recited by poet) Theme Imagery Sound Devices Figurative Language (simile, metaphor, personification)