Comments on: Poetic Interlude http://druidjournal.net/2006/10/18/poetic-interlude/ Guidance and Inspiration from Nature and the Ancient World. Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:08:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Jeff Lilly http://druidjournal.net/2006/10/18/poetic-interlude/#comment-121 Jeff Lilly Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:37:49 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/2006/10/18/poetic-interlude/#comment-121 Hi Adam, I'm sorry I haven't answered your comment before -- I did read it and appreciate it, but I've been SO busy... The Bard did write in iambic pentameter, but I don't think that means he wrote in a rigid pattern of unstressed-stressed / unstressed-stressed syllables. I think it was what's called "accentual syllabic" meter, which allows a lot of variation, but still has a pretty regular beat. I meant to look this up again before I wrote back, but I still haven't had a chance. (I'm writing this while I should be getting breakfast for the kids. :-) ) Anyway, I love your haiku. I also love cats, although I am pretty allergic to them (which means they love me, as well). Actually, we have no pets yet. The dog I wrote about was actually my boss's dog, which I met during my recent business trip. I was wondering about your blog, and looking forward to your next post. Feel free to bounce any ideas or issues off me; I'm glad to help if I can. Jeff Hi Adam,

I’m sorry I haven’t answered your comment before — I did read it and appreciate it, but I’ve been SO busy…

The Bard did write in iambic pentameter, but I don’t think that means he wrote in a rigid pattern of unstressed-stressed / unstressed-stressed syllables. I think it was what’s called “accentual syllabic” meter, which allows a lot of variation, but still has a pretty regular beat. I meant to look this up again before I wrote back, but I still haven’t had a chance. (I’m writing this while I should be getting breakfast for the kids. :-) )

Anyway, I love your haiku. I also love cats, although I am pretty allergic to them (which means they love me, as well). Actually, we have no pets yet. The dog I wrote about was actually my boss’s dog, which I met during my recent business trip.

I was wondering about your blog, and looking forward to your next post. Feel free to bounce any ideas or issues off me; I’m glad to help if I can.

Jeff

]]> By: Adam http://druidjournal.net/2006/10/18/poetic-interlude/#comment-114 Adam Thu, 19 Oct 2006 06:34:08 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/2006/10/18/poetic-interlude/#comment-114 Wonderful insight... Perhaps that's why Shakespear wrote in iambic pentameter... There was always an even number of stressed syllables to unstresses syllables, so each line was the same length, not just in syllables, but in time as well. Even though stressed syllables are noticeably longer in English, unstressed syllables still take time. Perhaps an "English Haiku" would have to be iambic as well, or some other mix of 5 stressed + 5 unstressed for the first and last lines, 7 stressed + 7 unstressed for the middle... Open eyes as bright as diamond, Side to side, her tail in motion. She is queen of all she Surveys. She is proud to be a kitten. By the way, I never claimed to be a poet... ;) And no, I haven't disapeared, despite not posting in my blog recently... I'm just pondering an approach. Wonderful insight… Perhaps that’s why Shakespear wrote in iambic pentameter… There was always an even number of stressed syllables to unstresses syllables, so each line was the same length, not just in syllables, but in time as well.

Even though stressed syllables are noticeably longer in English, unstressed syllables still take time. Perhaps an “English Haiku” would have to be iambic as well, or some other mix of 5 stressed + 5 unstressed for the first and last lines, 7 stressed + 7 unstressed for the middle…

Open eyes as bright as diamond,
Side to side, her tail in motion. She is queen of all she
Surveys. She is proud to be a kitten.

By the way, I never claimed to be a poet… ;)

And no, I haven’t disapeared, despite not posting in my blog recently… I’m just pondering an approach.

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