The rhythmic pattern of a poem, determined by stressed and unstressed syllables.
Meter is the rhythmic pattern of a poem, determined by the number and type of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line. It's the underlying beat that gives formal poetry its musical quality.
Common meters include iambic pentameter (five pairs of unstressed-stressed syllables, used by Shakespeare), trochaic tetrameter (stressed-unstressed pairs), and anapestic meter (two unstressed followed by one stressed).
While free verse has become dominant in modern poetry, understanding meter helps poets make deliberate rhythmic choices — even when breaking traditional patterns. Knowing the rules gives you more power when you choose to bend them.
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