Demoted Syllable

[badger11]

I haven't heard of this one, but interesting slant:

 

 

Its rhythms are sound, and could be emphasized merely by putting a comma after they come—which would, in effect, create a caesura to play the part of a demoted syllable, thus allowing you two stressed syllable in a row that still feel essentially iambic.

They come, shambling past for my review

 

[tonyv]

Hi Phil,

Interesting stuff. We touched upon some of it in this topic:

 

A Fantastic Book on Meter

 

Without the comma, I tend to scan the line --

 

/ ^THEY / come SHAM / bling PAST / for MY / reVIEW /

 

-- with a headless iamb. With the comma, I scan it:

 

/ they COME / ^SHAM / bling PAST / for MY / reVIEW /

 

Again, check out the first post in the linked topic. Of course, the book has much more on these metrical peculiarities.

 

Tony

 

 

PS -- I love "Bed."

 

 

[badger11]

Thanks Tony. This was an opening line so there was that familiar discussion about using a headless iamb in the first line. The comma was an option offered.

 

best

 

Phil

[tonyv]

I still see nothing wrong with using a headless iamb in an opening line so long as it conforms i.e. no other metrical substitutions in that line.