Types of Meters in Poetry

Iambic

A foot which starts with an unaccented and ends with an accented (stressed) syllable. It is the most common meter in the English Language and naturally falls into everyday conversation.

Trochiaic

A foot (opposite of an iambic meter) that begins with an accented then followed by an unaccented syllable.

Anapestic

A foot which has two unaccented stllables followed by an accented syllable.

Dactylic

A foot including an accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables.

Spondee

A foot consisting of two accented syllables

Pyrrhic

A foot including two unaccented syllables, generally used to vary rhythm.

Monometer

One Foot

Dimeter

Two Feet

Trimeter

Three Feet

Tetrameter

Four Feet

Pentameter

Five Feet

Hexameter

Six Feet

Heptameter

Seven Feet

Iambic

to BE or NOT to BE" ~ Shakespeare's Hamlet

Trochiaic

DOUBLE, double, TOIL and TROUBLE." ~ Shakespeare's Macbeth

Anapestic

I arise and unbuild it again." ~ Shelley's Cloud

Dactylic

Openly...(O-pen-ly)

Spondee

Heartbreak...(Heart-Break)