AP Literature Anatomy of a Poem

u

Symbol of an unstressed syllable

/

Symbol of a stressed syllable

u

Symbol of an unstressed syllable

/

Symbol of a stressed syllable

Iambic

The metrical foot with syllables that are u /

Trochaic

The metrical foot with syllables that are / u

Spondaic

The metrical foot with syllables that are / /

Anapestic

The metrical foot with syllables that are u u /

Dactyllic

The metrical foot with syllables that are / u u

Foot

A unit of stressed and unstressed syllables that repeats in a line of verse

Stanza

A group of lines in a poem that are usually separated by a blank line or indentation

Monometer

One foot

Dimeter

Two feet

Trimeter

Three feet

Tetrameter

Four feet

Pentameter

Five feet

Hexameter

Six feet

Heptameter

Seven Feet

Octometer

Eight Feet

Catalexis

An extra syllable at the end of the line