Couplets.

A “couplet” is two lines of poetry that have the same meter and may, or may not, rhyme.

“Meter” is the length of a line of poetry, measured in the number of syllable groupings in the line.

And, what is the “iamb?”

A two-syllable grouping, like “with that” or “unfold” – with the accent on the second syllable, is called an iamb. The syllables in these iambs can be split into separate words or be separate words – it doesn’t matter to the poet.

To help see the splits and accents, you can write a line of iambs like this:

With THAT/ you CUT/, on LY/ when YOU/ un FOLD?

This line is riddle: What is it?

SCISS ors/ of COURSE/, with CARE/ is WHAT/ you HOLD.

Both these lines have five iambs, so the meter is five. (I had to invert one iamb, scissors, with the accent on the first syllable — but that’s fair in the land of verse.) A five meter line is called a “pentameter,” because five is “pent” in Latin. Four is tetrameter, because “tetra” is the Roman four; and trimeter, with “tri,” is three — on the old Iberian Peninsula where you find Italy.

Our example couplet is now two lines of rhymed iambic pentameter, behold:

With that you cut, only when you unfold?

Scissors of course, with care is what you hold

A couplet, like this, with the meter of iambic pentameter, is called a “heroic couplet.”

Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter, and his sonnets each end with a rhyming heroic couplet.

Rhyming couplets are one of the oldest and most successful rhyme schemes in the history of poetry. Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” is written in rhyming couplets.

Now, you can do it too. Give it a try.

To read more about iambic pentameter and poetry, check out the blog posts of September 19, 2012, November 13, 2012 and May 15, 2013. To find them, click on the “Blog Posts” tab above. Once you’re there, type in “iambic pentameter” in the search block with the spy glass, and off you go.

Per HAPS/ it’s TIME/, why NOT/, give IT/ a TRY,

You NEV /er KNOW/, you MAY/ be COME/ a WARE.

And SEE/, once YOU/ start, YOU/ may NOT/ re VERSE,

To FIND/ your DREAMS/ on ly/ in ME/ tered VERSE.

I MAG/ ine WHAT/ the PIC/ tures MAY/ be THERE

Be YOND/ a LAND/ not LIM/ it ED/ by EYE.

Or, to allow you to more easily read the lines:

Perhaps it’s time, why not give it a try,

You never know, you may become aware.

And see, once you start, you may not reverse,

To find your dreams only in metered verse.

Imagine what the pictures may be there,

Beyond a land not limited by eye.

Good travels,

Grandpa Jim