Anapestic Tetrameter (So Much Cooler Than Iambic Pentameter)

"Anapestic (an-uh-PES-tick; the noun is anapest: AN-uh-pest), two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one; for example:

And the eyes / of the sleep / ers waxed dead / ly and chill,

And their hearts / but once heaved, / and fore /ver grew still!

           --George Gordon, Lord Byron, 'The Destruction of Sennacherib'" (Hamilton 200).

"Tetrameter (te-TRAM-eh-ter), four feet:

She walks / in beau / ty, like / the night

Of cloud / less climes / and star / ry skies

          --George Gordon, Lord Byron, "She Walks in Beauty" (Hamilton 201).

I found this kind of meter to be quite interesting and while I was trying to find a poem that was a good example of this (other than those that were given in the book), I found out that Dr. Seuss was famous for using Anapestic Tetrameter.  Also, "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore is said to be written in anapestic tetrameter.

I would like to eventually try and write a poem in anapestic tetrameter but we'll see how that goes.  :-)

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