# Technical question about poetry **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080 "2003-09-11T23:40:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/1 "2003-09-11T23:40:56Z")
There are a significant number of famous poems that have stanzas of a four-iamb line, followed by a three iamb-line, followed by a four-iamb line and another three-iamb line. Amazing Grace follows this pattern, as does Galadriels’ lament from Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. a-MAZE-ing GRACE, how SWEET the SOUND that SAVED a WRETCH like ME i ONCE was LOST but NOW am FOUND was BLIND but NOW i SEE. Is there a name for this specific form of poetry, like the limerick or the haiku? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/2 "2003-09-11T23:45:07Z")
IANAP, but this just seems to be iambic quadrameter with a bit of a pause after every other line. To wit: a-MAZE-ing GRACE, how SWEET the SOUND that SAVED a WRETCH like ME (xxx-XXXX) i ONCE was LOST but NOW am FOUND was BLIND but NOW i SEE (xxx-XXXX). See what I’m sayin’? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/3 "2003-09-11T23:46:59Z")
I should have said “a pause _in place of the last iamb_”. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/4 "2003-09-13T07:29:44Z")
I’m not aware of any specific name for this metrical pattern. Then again, I’m not so sure it’s all that common, or common enough to be identified as a pattern or shape in its own right. Hence a golden opportunity… if you want to compile a startlingly large collection of such verses, and/or make up some of your own, you could probably award yourself the privilege of actually naming this pattern and enjoy eternal fame in literature circles! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/5 "2003-09-13T12:11:41Z")
That is commonly referred to as Ballad Stanza. My aunt used to do a little bit at family gatherings by standing up as if addressing an audience and uttering: De DEE de DEE de DEE de DEE De DEE de DEE de DEE De DEE de DEE de DEE de DEE De DEE de DEE de DEE So many nursery rhymes and old ballad poetry come to mind when you use that little scheme. For an exercise here at SDMB using that rhyme pattern, take a look at [Create an Anti-Ballad](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=207217&highlight=ballad) for what turned into an interesting little story-poem or two. For more on the verse form itself, [this link](http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Terms/ballad-stanza.html) has some details. ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/6 "2003-09-13T21:26:12Z")
Thanks to each of you for your assistance. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/7 "2003-09-15T01:02:11Z")
In hymnody, the meter of _Amazing Grace_ is called _ **Common Meter** _. Since hymnody tends to count syllables rather than beats, its meter signature is _ **86 86** _. Technically, one can sing the texts of any songs with share the same meter with each other’s melodies. And so, e.g., _Joy to the World_ {yes, the Christmas carol}, which is also _86 86 Common Meter_ can be sung to the tune of \*Amazing Grace \* (and vice versa). However, it doesn’t always work cleanly, since the timing of the melody of one song may stress an unstressed accent of the text of a different melody (as in the case of _Joy to the World_ sung to the tune of _Amazing Grace_). Other famous common meter songs: _O God, Our Help in Ages Past_ and _My Darling Clementine_. Try singing Amazing Grace or Galadriel’s Lament to that one. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-question-about-poetry/201080/8 "2003-09-15T04:22:29Z")
Emily Dickinson uses this form in most of her poetry too, with the entertaining result that most of her poems can be sung to **The Yellow Rose of Texas**. Or the theme from **Gilligan’s Island**.