Poulter’s Measure: a form of duple ictosyllabic couplet verse unaccountably popular during the early Tudor period, consisting of an alexandrine followed by a ,a href=http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=5528>septenary, as in the following example:
The doubt| of fu|ture foes| exiles| my pre|sent joy|And wit| me warns| to shun| such snares| as threa|ten mine| annoy| (Queen Elizabeth I, “The Doubt of Future Foes”)
The doubt| of fu|ture foes| exiles| my pre|sent joy|And wit| me warns| to shun| such snares| as threa|ten mine| annoy| (Queen Elizabeth I, “The Doubt of Future Foes”)
Structurally Poulter’s measure resembles a duple limerick without rhyme.
Structurally Poulter’s measure resembles a duple limerick without rhyme.
84 words
Citation: Groves, Peter Lewis. "Poulter’s Measure". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 June 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1760, accessed 24 November 2024.]