very common. It is found in the poem entitled "Annabel Lee."

| ^ | ^ | ^ ^| |
| e e e |e e e |e e e |e q |
"It was man y and man y a year ago,
| ^ | ^ | ^ |
| e e e | e q | e q |
In a king dom by the sea,
| ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ |
| e e e |e e e | e q | e q |
That a maid en there lived whom you may know
| ^ | ^| ^ |
| e e e | e q| e e e |
By the name of An nabel Lee;
| ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ |
| e e e |e e e | e q | e e e |
And this maid en she lived with no other thought
| ^ | ^ | ^ |
| e e e | e e e |e q |
Than to love and be loved by me."

Poetic Feet.

If all these verses be observed carefully, it will be seen that in
each group of syllables there is one accented syllable combined with
one or two unaccented. Such a group of syllables is called a foot. The
foot is the basis of the verse; and from the prevailing kind of foot
that is found in any verse, the verse derives its name.

_A foot is a group of syllables composed of one accented syllable
combined with one or more unaccented._ It will be noticed further that
if musical notation be used, all of these forms are but variations of
the one form, represented by the standard measure 3/8. They are:--

| ^ | | ^ | | ^ | | ^ | | ^ |
| e q |; | q e |; | e e e |; | e e e |; and | e e e |.

Accordingly there are five forms of poetic feet made of this musical
rhythm. Of these, four are in common use.

_An Iambus is a two-syllable foot accented on the last syllable. Verse
made of this kind of feet is called iambic._ It is the most common
form found in English poetry. Example:--

"The stag at eve had drunk his fill."

_A Trochee is a two-syllable foot accented on the first syllable.
Verse made of this kind of feet is called trochaic._ Example:--

"Stood the wigwam of Nokomis."

_A Dactyl is a three-syllable foot accented on the first syllable.
Such verse is called dactylic._ Example:--

"Touch her not scornfully."

_An Amphibrach is a three-syllable foot accented on the middle
syllable._ It is uncommon. Example:--

"Three fishers went sailing out into the West."