Versification/scansion

Versification/scansion

How to find the accents in rhyming couplets

In musicianship and theory, candidates must show they understand poetic scansion

• students need to recite a couplet clicking with a steady pulse

• students need to place an upright line in front of strong beats in the poetry

• sometimes the strong beat can be mid-word

Example of a rhyming couplet

While the plowman near at hand,

Whistles o'er the furrowed land.

Your job is to find a steady beat, and clap/click/tap while you recite the couplet. This is what you might come up with:

• /While the /plowman /near at /hand,

  /Whistles /o'er the /furrowed /land.

• OR

• While the /plowman near at /hand,

  Whistles /o'er the furrowed /land.

• It all depends on taste. I think the AMEB would prefer option 1

Multiple Choice

Read the following couplet and choose the correct scansion:

See the flowers all in bloom

And birds singing a happy tune.

• | See the | flowers | all in | bloom

  And | birds | singing a | happy | tune.

• See | the flo-|-wers all | in bloom

  | And birds sing-|-ing a hap-|-py tune.

Multiple Choice

Read the following couplet and choose the correct scansion:

Now in the west the colours change,

The blue with crimson blending.

• | Now in the | west the | colours | change,

  The | blue with | crimson | blending.

• Now | in the west the co-|-lours change,

  | The blue | with crim-|-son blen-|-ding.

Multiple Choice

Read the following couplet and choose the correct scansion:

I hope that when I have time to play,

My life will not have run away.

• I | hope that | when I have | time to | play,

  My | life will | not have | run a-| -way.

• | I hope | that when I | have time | to play,

  | My life will not| have run away.

Multiple Choice

Read the following couplet and choose the correct scansion:

One by one my leaves must fall:

Soon the wind will take them all.

• | One by | one my | leaves must | fall:

  | Soon the | wind will | take them | all.

• One | by one | my leaves | must fall:

  Soon | the wind | will take | them all.