A line made of one foot is called monometer. It is never used throughout a poem, except as a joke, but it sometimes occurs as an occasional verse in a poem that is made of longer lines. The two lines which follow are from the song of “Winter” in Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” The last is monometer.
[274] “Then nightly sings the staring owl
Tu-whit.”
A line containing two feet is called dimeter. It also is uncommon; but it does sometimes make up a whole poem; as, “The Bridge of Sighs,” already mentioned. Another example is:—
^ ^ “I’m wear ing awa’, Jean,
^ ^ Like snaw when it’s thaw, Jean,
^ ^ I’m wear ing awa’
^ ^ To the land o’ the leal.”
| ^ | ^ | |||
| “I’m | wear | ing | awa’, | Jean, |
| ^ | ^ | ||||
| Like | snaw | when | it’s | thaw, | Jean, |
| ^ | ^ | ||
| I’m | wear | ing | awa’ |
| ^ | ^ | ||||
| To | the | land | o’ | the | leal.” |
It is frequently met as an occasional line in a poem. Wordsworth’s “Daisy” shows it.
“Bright Flower! for by that name at last,
When all my reveries are past,
I call thee, and to that cleave fast,
Sweet, silent creature!
That breath’st with me in sun and air,
Do thou, as thou art wont, repair
My heart with gladness, and a share
Of thy meek nature!”