Without markings, how to tell, where rhythm dwells?
Listen to the natural speech:
Read the lines aloud, as if in a friendly breach.
The words that fall naturally strong, are stressed, you see.
The ones that glide by, almost silently, are unstressed, agree?
Consider the word's own weight:
Some words have inherent power, they cannot be late.
"Love," "hate," "joy," "fear," these hold their own might.
While "a," "the," "and," "but" are light, like a feather in flight.
Observe the pattern:
Look for repetition, a rhythmic pattern, to heighten perception.
In iambs, a weak beat then strong, a gentle song.
In trochees, the strong comes first, a bolder throng.
The rhythm reveals itself, if you listen long.
Context is key:
The meaning of the line, its message to convey,
Can help you decipher the stresses, day by day.
A word stressed for emphasis, its meaning to display.
Or an unstressed word, to quickly pass away.
So, listen, observe, and ponder deep,
The poet's rhythm, their secrets to keep.
For in the unstressed and stressed, a hidden world sleeps.
And with practice and care, its beauty leaps.