In the beginning how the heavens and earthĭelight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flowed That shepherd who first taught the chosen seed Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret top Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, Of that forbidden tree whose mortal tasteīrought death into the World, and all our woe, Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit Your force to break, blow, burn and make me new. That I may rise and stand o'erthrow me and bend That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seeke.īatter my heart three-personed God, for youĪs yet but knock, breathe, shine and seek to mend. To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,Īnd palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,

The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, When I do count the clock that tells the time,Īnd see the brave day sunk in hideous night Īnd sable curls all silver’d o’er with white Stealing and giving odour! Enough no more: O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound, His canon ’gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God! O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone. So, thanks to all at once and to each one, We will perform in measure, time and place: That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace,

Took off her life this, and what needful else Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen, That fled the snares of watchful tyranny Which would be planted newly with the time,Īs calling home our exiled friends abroad Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland Made glorious summer by this sun of York Īnd all the clouds that lour'd upon our house William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee,Īnd they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,Īnd sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep One writer in particular was famed for using it, William Shakespeare, although he was not the first, Chaucer used it to good effect before him, as you'll see in these iambic pentameter examples:Īnd none but fools do wear it cast it off.Īnd I do love thee: therefore, go with me Iambic pentameter is the most common type of meter used in poetry and verse.

Sonnet format iambic pentameter