Meter is a key element of poetic form, contributing to the rhythm and musicality of the poem. Different meters are named according to their specific patterns of stress and unstress.
Here are some common meters:
* Iambic pentameter: A line of five metrical feet, each containing an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. (e.g., "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?")
* Trochaic tetrameter: A line of four metrical feet, each containing a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. (e.g., "Double, double toil and trouble")
* Anapestic trimeter: A line of three metrical feet, each containing two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. (e.g., "The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold")
Meter can be regular and consistent throughout a poem, or it can vary to create different effects. The choice of meter is a significant artistic decision for poets.