Unlock the inner rhythm of English poetry and see how metre shapes meaning.
This concise study examines how poets from Milton to Swinburne handle time, syllables, and pauses to create verse that reads as music as well as sense. Through practical examples and careful reasoning, it shows that metre in English follows native laws, not rigid foreign rules.
- Learn how rhythm interacts with meaning, and why a line’s impact depends on its timing as much as its words
- See why variations can enhance a poem, and where they push readers toward misreading or doubt
- Explore the debate between syllabic counting and time-based measures in different poetic traditions
- Discover how pauses, stresses, and boundary lines influence the flow of long lines and heroic verse
Ideal for readers curious about how verse works beyond surface rhyme, and for students studying English metre and prosody. The book uses notable passages to illustrate its method and invites readers to test lines themselves.