219 and 220 home page |
* A key to this
exercise is located in the "Resources for 219" folder in Murray
Hall room 104.
A. Ostriker
Technique
in Poetry
1. Mark stressed (
/) and unstressed (
) syllables in the following passage:
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Rhythm
and its specialized form, meter, depend upon repetition and
expectancy. Equally where what is expected recurs and where it fails,
all
metrical effects spring from anticipation. |
2. Scan the following passages, marking stressed and unstressed syllables
and indicating foot divisions. When in doubt about whether a syllable
should be accented or not, give both possibilities in your scansion. Note
as indicated the form of each passage (e.g., iambic trimester, blank verse,
etc.).
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Twinkle twinkle
little star,
How I wonder what you are.
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Form:
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Tyger! Tyger!
Burning bright
In the forest of the night.
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Form:
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My love is like
a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June.
My love is like a melody
That's sweetly played in tune.
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Form:
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We romped until
the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf.
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
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Form:
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The moon was
up, the lake was shining clear
Among the hoary mountains; from the shore
I push'd, and struck the oars and struck again
In cadence, and my little boat mov'd on
Even like a man who walks with stately step
Though bent on speed.
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Form:
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All fly to Twit'nam,
and in humble strain
Apply to me to keep them mad or vain.
Arthur, whose giddy son neglects the laws,
Imputes to me and my damn'd works the cause.
Poor Cornus sees his frantic wife elope,
And curses Wit, and Poetry, and Pope.
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Form:
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Seek true religion.
O where? Myrius,
Thinking her unhous'd here and fled from us,
Seeks her at Rome, there, because he doth know
That she was there a thousand years ago.
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Form:
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Out
of the cradle endlessly rocking,
Out of the nightingale's throat, the musical shuttle |
Form:
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A spouse I do
hate,
For either she's false or she's jealous;
But give us a mate,
Who nothing will ask us, or tell us.
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Form:
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Must
I tell again
In the words I know
For the ears of men
The flesh, the blow? |
Form:
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Name:
.
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