Patterns are all around us, and meter doesn’t have to be scary--even with its mysterious little slash marks reminiscent of gaping wounds. In part one of this two-part conversation, Katie and Tim talk with Susan Spear, Brian O’Sullivan, Chelsea McClellan, and Christiana Doucette about how English verse actually moves—from the big drumbeat of alliterative verse to the sneakier pleasures of iambs, speech stress, and scansion. Susan Spear and David Rothman’s book Learning the Secrets of English Verse: The Keys to the Treasure Chest is featured.

At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Susan Spear

Brian O’Sullivan

Christiana Doucette

Chelsea McClellan