Prosody: An Introduction

Why do so many poems being written today sound ?flat? and prose-like? A familiarity with prosody?the study of the patterns of rhythm and sound in poetry?is essential if you want to make your poems sound more musical. In this class we will review the basics of meter and scansion and learn how to discover and develop rhythmic patterns that can then be used to underscore meaning and emotion, even in free verse poems. No need to bring a poem with you, but be prepared to use what you've learned and draft a metrical, unrhymed poem.