"In Meter and Meaning, poet Thomas Carper and scholar Derek Attridge join forces to present a user-friendly way to explore the rhythms of poetry in English." "The authors begin by showing the value of performing any poem aloud, so that we can sense its unique use of rhythm. From this starting point they suggest an fresh, jargon-free approach to reading poetry. Illustrating their "beat-offbeat" method with a series of revealing exercises, they help us to appreciate the use of rhythm in poems of all periods and to understand the vital relationship between meter and meaning. Beginning with the very basics, this book enables a smooth progression to an advanced knowledge of poetic rhythms." This is the essential guide to meter for anyone who wants to study, write, better appreciate or simply enjoy poetry.

1. Basic rhythms
2. Beats: B, b, [B]
3. Offbeats: o, O, -o-, [o], o
4. Scanning poems
5. Rhythmic figures
6. Names and labels
7. Meter and meaning
8. Identifying meters and stanza-forms
Where to go from here
Scansion symbols
Afterword
Index of poets and poems