Half Measure
This is a variation of Common Measure, and there are two choices. The first consists of
two rhymes in iambic trimeter, (3 feet), and three rymes in the second.
This gives suggested patterns of:
x x x x x a
x x x x x b
x x x x x a
x x x x x b
or
x x x x x a
x x x x x b
x x x x x c
x x x x x b
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Half a Measure?
Half Measures don’t work well
in daily life, at least;
in poems they sound swell-
iambic feet released.
Its lines can rhyme two ways:
a-b-a-b, one goes;
the other option plays
in a-b-c-b flows.
Above I chose for one-
in here, its second choice.
Whatever way you choose,
make sure your rhyme has poise.
Half Measures thus work well,
in poetry, at least;
six running syllables,
produce iambic feasts.
Leny Roovers
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