Iambic Pentameter Thread

[Colin, Germany]

Following the great success of Little Miss Urchin's limerick thread and Rob the Saint's storytime thread, and after reading in the pub that the users of these forums are intelligent, I thought it would be appropriate to start an iambic pentameter thread. In a similar vein to the storytime thread, each posting simply follows on from the previous one, but, instead of each posting having five words, each posting consists of an iambic pentameter. Whereas a limerick has a rhyming pattern, with the first, second and fifth lines all rhyming, and the third and fourth lines rhyming, this thread does not require a rhyme, although it may be useful from time to time for dramatic effect. <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

 

In case anyone is not quite sure what this means, I will explain in more detail. If there are any errors in my explanation, I would, of course, be grateful for corrections. It is some time since I left school.

 

An iambus, also known as an iamb, is a metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables. There is one of these at the beginning of each line of a limerick. So, some recent examples from the limerick thread are 'Because', 'And all' and 'The fans'. The lines of a limerick continue with an anapest in lines three and four, which means that these lines are dimeters, whilst lines one, two and five continue with two anapests, making them trimeters. An anapest, by the way, is a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed-stressed syllables.

 

A dimeter is a line of two feet, a trimeter is a line of three feet, and a pentameter is a line of five feet.

 

To find more examples, sonnets are fourteen line poems consisting of iambic pentameters, albeit with a rhyming scheme.

 

An example of an iambic pentameter, which can serve as the first posting, is therefore:

 

The football fans upon the muddy pitch

[Urchin Boy]

Is It 10 Syllables Then ?

[Student Scum]

Yes it is ten syllables but also needs to be like a heartbeat with regard to stress of the syllables...(See Here)

 

i.e. 'interconstitutional rights issue' has 10 syllables but is not IP.

However, the below HAS 10 syllables and I believe the correct stresses:

 

'are you sure this was such a good idea?'

 

[Colin, Germany]

I don't believe the line above is right.

[Matt]

Good God.... this thread's gonna be popular ! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Colin, Germany]

The forum poets vent their tender soul

[American FLEET FAN No1]

As i was born before the Metric Invasion of the Imperial way of life and measurement i think it might need a little more explanation in plain English.....

[American FLEET FAN No1]

As my limited Education only told me to think in units of 12 and 3 for measurement...and units of 12 and 20 for coinage.......thinking in units of 10 are foreign to me!

[Colin, Germany]

So think of feet that number five a line.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

that would be toes?...sorry Colin <img src="/images/graemlins/alk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Colin of Germany started a thread,

we thought it was a laugh,

but when we tried to follow his lead,

we found it was hard graft!

[Colin, Germany]

And Fleet has toiled to post a rhyming verse.

[Mr Happy]

Looks like this one is a dead duck then!

[Colin, Germany]

Or does the bird await the muse's call?

[Dan Sampford]

or does it fall?

[Colin, Germany]

... beyond the ancient wall,

that separates the perished from the tall.

 

 

(I trust that you don't mind me completing your pentameter, Mr. Sampford.)

[Red Neck]

The sleeping heroes will awake no more.

[mala_D]

They are up in heaven playing football

With our beloved hero Bobby Moore

 

[is that ok Colin?]

[Colin, Germany]

And while they play upon the heav'nly green,

The Town rejoice in Ilford, cup aloft.

 

 

(The first line looks a bit dodgy to me, I suggest:

"They're up in heaven playing football pure",

but the second one is perfect!)

[mala_D]

A loft! A loft! My kingdom for a loft!

I need a bigger house today; They say

A box! A box! Stick your filth in a box

And have a car boot sale instead my friend

or call Llewellyn-Bowen round to mend.

 

 

<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />