What does meter measure in a poem?

The measured arrangement of words in poetry, as by accentual rhythm, syllabic quantity, or the number of syllables in a line. b. A particular arrangement of words in poetry, such as iambic pentameter, determined by the kind and number of metrical units in a line. c. read more

Poems without meter or rhyme are called “free verse”; other poetic forms adhere to meter patterns almost religiously. Measuring Meter The measure for rhythm or meter in a poem is called “scansion,” which refers to parts of each line called metric feet. read more

Meter is a stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse, or within the lines of a poem. Stressed syllables tend to be longer, and unstressed shorter. In simple language, meter is a poetic device that serves as a linguistic sound pattern for the verses, as it gives poetry a rhythmical and melodious sound. read more