Poetry Exercise No. 4

Ok, so now I have learnt about variations on the iambic pentameter. These include:

Trochaic substitutions - the stress is on the first instead of the second beat in each foot, i.e. dum-da rather than da-dum.
Phyrric substitutions - no stresses in either beat.
Weak endings - adding an 11th syllable (unstressed) at the end of the line. One of the most famous quotations ending weakly is:

To be or not to be, that is the question.

The exercise for this section is: 16 unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter, with points given for trochaic substitutions (5 pts), phyrric substitutions (5 pts) and weak endings (hendecasyllables) (2 pts). Enjambments can be included too (2 pts). Subject: the News.

She cried, "Why are you talking to my husband?"
And then she gave the stewardess a slap.

Trochaic substitution (T) at "Why", weak ending (H) at "husband". Phyrric substitution (P) in "stewardess". 12 pts

Singapore won the Youth Olympics bid!
With cheers and shouts we greet the happy news.
Now the work starts to make sure all is ready.

T - "Singapore", "Now", H- "ready" . 12 pts

Spend more and tax less - Parliament debates
The pros and cons. Estate duty just died.
I got a tax rebate. Others got cash.

T - "Spend", "Others"; P - "Parliament". Enjambment (E) from first to second line. 17 pts

Amazing Race Asia was won by two
Singapore boys. It pays to know your flags.

Ts in "Asia", "Singapore". E in first line. 12 pts.

Oh foolish men! Power One called - you tried
And ended up in hospital instead.
Next time, don't stinge. Just go and buy some viagra.

T in "Power One" , "Next", E at first line, P at "hospital", H in last line. 19 pts.

So was the Spielberg magic meant to play
Over the crowds at Beijing's new Olympic
Stadium? He said, they said, we don't care.

T - at "Over", H - at "Olympic", E in second line, T at "Stadium". 14 points.

86 points. Not too good. But this was tough!