# What is this poetic meter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-poetic-meter/548487 "2010-07-29T18:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-poetic-meter/548487/1 "2010-07-29T18:34:48Z")
I believe it is Iambic Octometer, but it has been so long since I’ve dissected poetry, that I want to make sure I’m not missing some obvious Spondaic thing or something else… \* Once upon a summer’s day A donut chef was heard to say: “On this street where people stop, I’ll open up my donut shop!”\* thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-poetic-meter/548487/2 "2010-07-29T18:37:20Z")
[Iambic tetrameter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iambic_tetrameter). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-poetic-meter/548487/3 "2010-07-29T18:41:26Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > [Iambic tetrameter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iambic_tetrameter). Concur. With the first and third lines being _acephalous_, i.e. lacking the syllable of the initial foot. (ETA: Although you can also analyze lines one and three as catalectic–missing the final syllable–trochaic tetrameter if you’re so inclined.) ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-poetic-meter/548487/4 "2010-07-29T18:42:43Z")
Bless you…